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Taco Stuffed Shells

Taco stuffed shells are a fun mash-up of classic stuffed shells and Mexican-inspired tacos, with ground beef, cheese, salsa, and pasta!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword taco stuffed shells
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 462kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) box Jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 lb. ground beef (you can substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken)
  • ½ of a large onion, chopped
  • 1 (1 ounce) packet dry taco seasoning mix
  • cup water (or the amount called for on your taco seasoning packet)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided (you can substitute with shredded cheddar or cheddar Jack cheese)
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar thick and chunky salsa (about 2 ⅔ cups)
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or cilantro; sour cream; sliced green onion or diced red onion; sliced olives; diced avocado

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Cook pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
  • Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off fat; stir in water and taco seasoning mix. Bring to a simmer, and then cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Combine 1 ½ cups of the shredded Mexican blend cheese, all of the ricotta cheese, the egg, and half of the beef mixture in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Spread ¾ cup of the salsa in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a bowl, stir together the remaining salsa and the remaining half of the beef mixture. Set aside.
  • Fill the cooked, cooled pasta shells with the ricotta mixture. Arrange the shells in the baking dish.
  • Top the shells with the salsa mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Mexican cheese blend over top.
  • Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Garnish with optional toppings, and serve!

Notes

  • Boil the pasta in well-salted water. This is your only opportunity to season the pasta itself, so don’t be shy with the salt!
  • Cook the pasta shells just until barely al dente, since they will continue to cook in the oven. You don’t want to end up with overdone, mushy pasta!
  • Use a "thick and chunky" style salsa. Thinner "restaurant style" salsas will be too watery and thin for this recipe.
  • Garnish the shells with all of your favorite taco toppings for even more delicious flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 1107mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1192IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 3mg