Pesto Stuffed Shells - hands down the BEST stuffed shells EVER! Jumbo shells stuffed with cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and pesto and baked in marinara sauce. Makes a lot of food. Great for dinner parties and potlucks. Can make in advance and refrigerate or freeze for later. Serve with garlic bread and a salad for a meal better than 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.
Pour 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce into the prepared pan.
Combine cottage cheese, 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated parmesan cheese, an egg, and pesto.
Stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture. Place on top of spaghetti sauce. Spread reserved sauce on top of stuffed shells. Top with 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.
We like this meatless main dish. Feel free to add ground beef, Italian sausage, or turkey sausage to the spaghetti sauce.
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 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.
To bake the shells after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed.
The shells will keep 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.