Description
This Festive Christmas Stuffed Pasta is the perfect cozy dinner for your holiday table. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy, herb-loaded ricotta mix and baked in a silky tomato cream sauce until golden and bubbly. It’s an easy recipe that looks impressive and brings festive flavor to the table. Whether you’re searching for Christmas dinner ideas, easy holiday food ideas, or quick festive dinner recipes, this pasta bake delivers.
Ingredients
16 jumbo pasta shells
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon lemon zest
â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups marinara sauce
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Cook pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, parsley, basil, egg, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
3. Combine marinara and heavy cream in a separate bowl to make the sauce.
4. Stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture using a spoon or piping bag.
5. Pour half the sauce into a baking dish and nestle in the stuffed shells.
6. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
7. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
8. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Notes
Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor and melt.
Don’t overcook the pasta shells or they’ll fall apart when stuffing.
Let the dish rest for 10 minutes after baking for cleaner serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 shells
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 610mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: festive pasta, stuffed shells, Christmas dinner, holiday pasta bake, ricotta stuffed shells