Pizza Stuffed Shells – jumbo pasta shells stuffed with melty cheese, sausage and pepperoni, topped with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella – SO good! Kids and adults gobble this up!! Can make ahead of time and freeze for later. Serve with a salad and crusty garlic bread for a meal that rivals any restaurant.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain.
In a skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
Pour 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce into the prepared pan.
Combine cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, sausage, and pepperoni.
Stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture. Place on top of spaghetti sauce. Spread remaining sauce on top of stuffed shells. Top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes.
Notes:
My favorite store-bought spaghetti sauces are Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Marinara (green label), Rao’s, and La Famiglia DelGrosso.
I use Italian sausage. Can substitute ground beef, Italian sausage, or turkey sausage.
I use mini pepperoni in this dish. You can use chopped pepperoni slices if you prefer.
What cheese goes in stuffed shells? I use cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Feel free to use different types of cheeses
Don’t like cottage cheese? You can substitute ricotta cheese.
Feel free to add some onion, bell peppers, black olives, or mushrooms to the cheese mixture.
Can Stuffed Shells be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.
Can Stuffed Shells be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cool completely. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze.
When ready to bake, thaw the frozen shells and bake as directed.
The shells will keep for 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
This makes a lot of food. Feel free to split the casserole between two pans. Bake one and freeze one for later.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.