Stuffed Shells recipe~ Manicotti Recipe – COOKING WITH WHAT IS IN THE PANTRY

Casseroles, Food Storage Recipes, Main / Dinner / Supper, Recipes, Red Meat / 129 Comments

Stuffed Shells recipe

Quick and Easy Cheese Manicotti Pasta dinner recipe

Easy Dinner Ideas, Easy Freezer Meals, Stuffed Shells are a great way to feel a large group with no stressThis is a recipe re-post…. I posted this recipe 3 years ago but recently had a request to post it again.  Hope you enjoy this money saving recipe.

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I decided to cook some Pasta for my family.  To be honest if I am going to eat pasta I prefer home made Alfredo Sauce, but I know that red sauce it good for you. Plus I got it for free so it is a thrifty way to feed my family.  This recipe is one that my whole family loves, and we normally keep all the ingredients in the pantry or freezer. We have 5 gallon food safe plastic buckets in our pantry that we use to store different food supplies.

IMG_1949So I went to my pantry and I had two opened boxes of pasta, both half empty I wanted to use them up.  I used them both to make the same meal with a twist.

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Start your pasta cooking first, (while it cooks you can mix the filling for the shells). I needed to cook both kinds of pasta but the shells need to cook for 5 min longer, so I brought the water to a boil.  Added the shells,  then 5 mins later added the noodles.IMG_1957Add them to the boiling water, they will soften up and slide into the water.  Do not try to push them in or they might break.  Cook according to the box direction.  Do not over cook or they will be mushy, because you need to bake them to.

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Pour your noodles into a strainer so all the hot water drains off. Then  rinse them with cold water so they will be cool enough to handle.  If you are not going to fill them right away you will need to toss a little oil on them and separate them out on wax paper so they will not stick together.

Cheese filling mixture

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In a bowl add:

  • 1 package of ricotta cheese 16 oz
  • 1 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (1/2 cup set aside for top)
  • 2 cups of mozzarella cheese grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • dash  or 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg ( sound wierd but really makes it good)
  • 2 tablespoons parsley fresh or dry

IMG_1952Mix till well blended.  Now here is the twist, normally you would just use one box of pasta shells and fill them all.  But I wanted to use up both boxes of pasta so I just made half shells and half cheesy roll ups.

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Take a large scoop of filling and fill the cooked  shell.

IMG_1964Place the shell, cheese side up on a pan with pasta sauce in the bottom.

IMG_1967Now you can use the same filling to make Cheesy roll ups. Spread the filling out in a thin flat layer over the noodle.  Leave the last inch open so the noolde will stick together in the roll.

IMG_1966Roll it up….

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This is what it should look like.  Place seam side down in a pan, with pasta sauce on the bottom.

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Pour your jar of pasta sauce into one large 11×13 pan or you can split it up and pour half into two smaller pans.  I always use two smaller pans, and put one in the freezer.

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Add another 1/2 cup of parmesan on the top

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Cover them both with foil, I put one in the freezer.  Bake the other in a 350 degree oven for 35 mins, take foil off and bake for another 10 mins. ( for a total of 45 mins)

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If you want to change it up a bit you can add, spinach or cooked sausage to the cheese mixture.  My family really enjoys this, hopes yours will too.

You can watch us make it LIVE here

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129 thoughts on “Stuffed Shells recipe~ Manicotti Recipe – COOKING WITH WHAT IS IN THE PANTRY”

  43. Melissa Hale-Hudgeons

    My 6 year old is going to have lots of fun making this tomorrow! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
  54. A Thrifty Mom

    Please Share this video so your friends can join in too – and so you can go back and find the recipe for later

    Reply
  57. Bridgette Fumarolo

    Looks great , I’m going to try to make it tomorrow .. How many does a pan serve ?

    Reply
  61. Vanessa Marquiss Barker

    My parents did the same thing growing up. When I was in college I actually made money by making dinner for the guys in my apartment complex. Great skill to know

    Reply
  64. Jannette Lynn Thrasher

    Yes, my kids cook in kitchen too but safety first. We watch kids cooking program

    Reply
  72. Cindy Day

    I will definitely have to make this for my family of 7! I think they would love this!! Thank you!!

    Reply
  96. Chrissy Michelle

    Thanks for this recipe!! I am not good at making this, so this will be so helpful!!

    Reply
  102. Jami Dozer

    I would love to watch you cook but to be honest, reading every comments is distracting and taking too much time.

    Reply
  108. Earlene Melissa Johnson

    This is what I’m making for a friend who just had a baby. Great convenient meal.

    Reply

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