These simple, easy baked pasta shells have few ingredients, but the combination of flavors makes the dish rich and inviting. Use lean ground beef, such as sirloin, to keep the filling from being too oily. Remove the long stalks from the broccoli so that only the florets are chopped and added.
Ricotta cheese helps bind the filling together; grated Italian cheese on top adds an extra layer of flavor. The amount of cheese used is minimal in order to keep the dish lighter than many stuffed pastas.
Pasta Shells Stuffed with Ground Beef and Broccoli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- Sea salt, to taste, plus more for cooking water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 pound ground sirloin
- 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets, long stalks removed
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons grated Italian cheese, such as Asiago, Parmesan, or mozzarella
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add half the chopped onion and half the chopped garlic. Cook about 4 minutes, or until the onion softens.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining half of the chopped onion, remaining half of the chopped garlic and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook 6 to 7 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink and some juices remain in the skillet.
- Add the broccoli and stir well to combine. Cover and steam the broccoli in the beef juices until just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Spread 1/2 cup of the crushed tomato sauce in the bottom of an 11-by-7-inch baking dish.
- Stuff each cooked pasta shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beef and broccoli mixture and set snugly in the baking dish.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce on top of the shells, leaving the tips of the shells exposed. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the sauce.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Place three shells in each of four pasta bowls or plates and serve.
For another stuffed shells dish, try Veal-Stuffed Pasta Shells with Creamy Parmesan-Basil Sauce.
Pamela Steed Hill - Pamela Steed Hill is an editor, freelance writer, and home cook. She has published over 250 food articles and recipes online.
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