You’ll love this Jumbo Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce Recipe
This stuffed shells with meat sauce recipe is a great comfort meal. With ooey gooey cheese in a tasty meat sauce.
- No need to pre-cook the pasta means no dirtying extra pots.
- And instead of spooning the filling into the shells, put the filling into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag) and pipe into the shells. It’s so much faster that way.
Stuffed shells have never been SO EASY!!!
Stuffed Shells Instant Pot Ingredients
- Pasta – You’ll need conchiglioni pasta or jumbo pasta shells. These have enough space for the filling.
- Pasta sauce – A good quality pasta sauce. I love Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce.
- Cheese – This recipe has 3 types of cheeses: mozzarella, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese which gives it such a great taste.
- Ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef. But you can choose whichever ground beef type you prefer. The difference between the different types of ground beef is the fat content and where the meat comes from.
- 70/30 ground beef means 70% lean meat and 30% fat. Typically, this ground beef is made of brisket or shank. It’s ideal for juicy burgers and meatballs!
- 80/20 ground beef consists of 80% lean meat and 20% fat. It’s best for leaner burgers, meatloaves, and chili!
- 85/15 ground beef is made of 85% lean meat and 15% fat, which is considered as lean ground beef. It’s perfect for lasagna and spaghetti.
- 90/10 ground beef is extra lean ground beef made of 90% lean meat and 10% fat. It’s perfect for stuffed peppers, cabbage rolls and tacos.
Substitutions for Instant Pot Stuffed Shells
- Ground beef – You may substitute Italian sausage for ground beef. Instant flavor boost!
- Ricotta cheese – Cottage cheese can be used in place of ricotta cheese.
How to make Stuffed Pasta Shells with Meat
1. Make mixture and fill pasta shells:
- Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and 3 cups of mozzarella cheese.
- Place the mixture into a piping bag with a round tip (or a zip lock bag with one corner cut). Fill the pasta shells with the mixture.
2. Brown meat and assemble
- Cook the ground beef on the sauté mode in your Instant Pot. If there is any excess water, drain and smooth the ground beef at the bottom of your Instant Pot. Add the first layer of filled pasta shells on top of the ground beef.
- Then, add all the remaining pasta shells in layers on top of that foundation layer.
- Add water and pasta sauce. DON’T be tempted to stir it!
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook/Manual for 8 minutes on high. Once cooked, quick release the Instant Pot by turning the valve to venting. And carefully open the lid.
3. Add cheese and serve
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and close the lid. Let it sit so the cheese can melt for about 3 minutes.
- Final step: Open the lid and give it a good stir before serving! All the meat is on the bottom, so you want to gently stir from top to bottom and back to top. 🙂 Enjoy!
What do you eat with stuffed shells with meat sauce?
A nice bread like garlic bread or crusty French baguette or a simple salad.
Jumbo Pasta Shells Time-Saving Tips
- Multi-task! Start with browning the ground beef. And while the meat is cooking, which will take about 10 minutes, work on ricotta filling and pasta. But make sure to quickly stir meat a few times.
- No need to par-cook the pasta shells, which not only saves you time, but also one less pot to clean!
- Use a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with one corner cut) to fill the pasta shells with ricotta filling. It’s so much faster than spooning the filling into each shell.
Storing Stuffed Shells with Meat
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months.
How do you reheat frozen stuffed pasta shells?
Place the shells in an oven proof dish in the oven covered with aluminum foil. Bake at 450°F. Once they start sizzling, they are ready. You can also microwave them by adding extra sauce or a bit of water and cook them at medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
Large Stuffed Shells Instant Pot FAQ
Yes, there should be a slight graininess to the texture.
Jumbo pasta shells are also called conchiglioni pasta.
It’s totally normal for the stuffed shell to be watery as soon as you open the lid. Simply set the Instant Pot to “saute” mode and let it cook for a few minutes, stirring. It’ll thicken up in just a few minutes.
Not quite. Manicotti are tube-shaped pasta, and stuffed shells are made with large shell pasta. Both manicotti and stuffed shells can be filled with ricotta and meat mixture and topped with pasta sauce.
Some people use cottage cheese for stuffed shells instead of ricotta cheese.
There are about 35 jumbo shells in a 12oz box.
More Pasta Recipes
If you love pasta dishes as much as we do, check out our delicious pasta recipes!
Stuffed Shells (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided (about 1lb)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 8 oz jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni pasta)
- 2 cups water
- 24 oz pasta sauce
Instructions
- To brown the meat: set the Instant Pot to Sauté.
- When the display reads “HOT”, add ground beef, salt and seasonings and brown the meat, breaking it apart, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- To make the cheese filling: while meat is browning, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and 3 cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix well and transfer the mixture in a piping bag with a round tip (or a ziplock bag with one corner cut).
- Fill the pasta shells with the cheese mixture.
- Once the meat is browned, drain, if needed, and spread it evenly in the bottom of the pan. (Note: deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of water if there is any bits and pieces are stuck to the pan.)
- To assemble: layer the filled pasta shells over the meat.
- Pour water and then pasta sauce over the pasta. Do NOT stir.
- Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to “sealing”.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook/Manual for 8 minutes on high. (NOTE: It took 20-24 minutes for my IP to come to pressure.)
- Do quick release by carefully turning the valve to venting. And carefully open the lid.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and close the lid. Let it sit for about 3 minutes and then open the lid. Stir gently and serve.
Video
Notes
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Stay connected and join Busy Cooks community:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM
Reader's Reviews
AnneMarie Crane says
Omg this was Sooo tasty!!! Love that I didn’t have to cook the shells first. Devoutly a simple recipe but definitely will have you coming back for more servings!
Shinee says
Yay, glad you loved the recipe, AnneMarie! Thank you for your feedback!
GEMcCowin says
I wish I had read others comments because I too got the “burn” notice and was unable to finish the dish. The ground beef was so burnt on the bottom , I had to soak overnight. There was so much liquid in the pot that the shells were swimming in a soup which cause the cheese to fall out of the shells. I have no idea where I went wrong in the recipe but I’ll be sticking with the old fashioned way of making stuffed shells.
Shinee says
Oh no, it’s so frustrating to get that dreaded “burn” notice! I totally understand your frustration, GEMcCowin! It’s very important to completely deglaze the pan in step 5, or there’s a chance to get “burn” notice.
Sue Marie says
PURE COMFORT FOOD. I had too much filling left and when I came back here and watched the video, I realized you heaped it up. I couldn’t use the ziploc bag and found it easier to do it by hand, but only filled them to the rim of the shells. Next time I”d probably fill them the same as it was excellent. I did see a few comments where people said it needed more time. I did it for 10 minutes and it was perfect for me. Thanks for sharing.
Shinee says
Awesome, so happy you enjoyed it, Sue Marie. Thank you for your feedback and sharing your notes!
Olivia says
I saw this post on a Facebook Instant Pot page, decided to give it a try. It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Easy & clear step my step instructions. I will definitely be cooking more meals of this site!
Shinee says
Thank you so much, Olivia! So happy you tried and enjoyed my recipe.
abby says
Delish recipe! Pasta shells were a little more al dente then expected but still absolutely yummo. I added peas at the end!
Shinee says
Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!
Samantha says
I was wondering if you could make this without the meat? I’m not much of a meat person.
Shinee says
Hi, Samantha. I personally haven’t tried this without meat, but you can do stir-fry some vegetables and layer the shells over the veggies. If that doesn’t sound good either, you may try layering the shells over a trivet. The reason I don’t advice putting the shells directly in the pan is that I’m afraid the shells may stick to the bottom and cause “burn” notice. Hope this helps.
Natalie says
Delicious! My only comment to the recipe would be that you need to add a little oil to the bottom of the pan for sautéing the ground beef. My ground beef started to stick and burn at the bottom without it. After adding the oil, it was fine. I also added a little bit of sugar to the dish to give it a hint of sweetness. We loved this dish and I will be making it again. Thank you!
Shinee says
Thank you so much for your feedback and sharing your notes, Natalie!! You’re totally right. I also use a little bit of olive oil before adding ground beef (especially with lean). I’ll update the recipe.
Lydia says
Excellent!! Will definitely make again soon!
Shinee says
Thank you so much, Lydia, for your feedback! So glad you enjoyed it.
Andrea says
I’ve never got a burn notice in my pressure cooker before, but I was unable to finish this dish. Terribly expensive recipe, considering not only ingredients but the fried chicken we had to go get after giving up at 8:30 pm. (And yes, I deglazed the pot and added a bit of oil just to make sure nothing stuck.)
Shinee says
Hi, Andrea. Sorry to hear your trouble with dinner. Hope you didn’t stir and let the pasta sauce get to the bottom before cooking. Pasta sauce is considered as thick sauce, and tends to scorch if it gets to the bottom.
Korey says
Delish! I made this with a few substitutions- I used turkey meat just bc I like it better. And instead of water I used chicken broth. Turned out perfect! Cheesy, creamy, and noodles perfect!
Shinee says
Yay, so glad you tried it, Korey! Thank you for sharing your feedback and your tweaks!
Carlie says
I wanted to love this recipe but I think I’m gong to stick with cooking stuffed shells in the oven. A lot of my noodles were closed, so I really couldn’t get the cheese filling in the shell. And this turned out really soupy. Oh well, next time I’ll just cook the noodles in it and then stuff them and bake it in the oven. Fyi I did cook it for 9 minutes just bc I’m at 4500ft altitude. Thanks for recipe!
Shinee says
Hi, Carlie. Sorry to hear you didn’t like this recipe as much as we do! But I appreciate your honest feedback.
Stacy says
This was so good and very easy. I was really impressed that the shells were cooked to a perfect al dente. Thanks for this recipe!
Shinee says
Thank you so much, Stacy, for your feedback! Glad you all enjoyed the recipe. 😉
Tracie says
These were easy to make and super yummy!! Thank you so much Shinee!
Shinee says
So glad to hear you loved it, Tracie! Thank you for your feedback!
Kelly milano says
Really good but I ended up having to finish cooking in the oven. This is the first recipe I’ve ever gotten a burn notice on. :/
Shinee says
Glad you enjoyed it, Kelly, despite the extra step. My suggestion for next time: make sure to deglaze the pan well after browning the meat and before adding more ingredients. And add water before adding pasta sauce.
Karla Strawser says
I make this dish all the time in the oven so I’m very eager to try it in the instant pot. It will be so much faster. To be clear, you don’t boil the pasta first? Seems like it would be hard to fill them while they are still hard?
Thanks for the help😊
Shinee says
Hi, Karla. That’s correct, no boiling pasta. If you put the filling in a pastry bag, or a ziplock bag with one corner cut, and pipe the filling into the shells, it’s much easier and faster. Hope you give it a try. Let us know.
Lynn says
Try the pot in pot method, no worries of getting the burn message. I prefer the PIP method when ever possible.
Shinee says
Hi, Lynn. I’ll have to try PIP method of this. It may affect the cooking time.
Heather says
So good! I used half ground beef and half Italian sausage, and I added fresh chopped tomato at the end. Yum!!
Shinee says
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it, Heather! Thank you for your feedback and sharing your modification.
Pam says
I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta, it did not hold up after cooking, All the shells exploded. Note to self, use ricotta cheese next time!
Shinee says
Hi, Pam. Thanks for your feedback. What do you mean it didn’t hold up? Do you mean the filling didn’t stay in the shells? Did it got mixed with the sauce when you stirred it? If so, it’s normal for some of the filling to get mixed in with the sauce when you stir everything. I’ve tried this recipe with cottage cheese as well, and it worked fine for me. Let me know if you try it with ricotta cheese though.
Brooke says
This looks so good! I can’t wait to try it. I’ve never had much luck with pasta but I’m excited to try this!
Shinee says
Awesome! Let us know how you like it, Brooke!
Kourtney says
Is this in a 6qt or 8qt? How would you make it in the opposite size?
Shinee says
Hi, Kourtney. I made this in 6qt Instant Pot. It should be the same with 8qt IP.
Pamela says
Any thoughts on how to make this meatless and not trigger a burn notice? Thanks!
Shinee says
Hi, Pamela. I haven’t tested this recipe without meat. But I’ve cooked pasta in my IP without anything on the bottom, so I would suggest layering the stuffed shells on the bottom, pour water first, and then the sauce on top. I *think* that would work. Let me know if you give it a try this way.
Susanne says
How many will fit in a 6 quart IP?
Shinee says
Hi, Susanne. Do you mean how many shells? I didn’t count the shells, but I used 8oz of shell pasta in my 6qt Instant Pot.
Quinn says
Made this for my boyfriend and omg. It was SO GOOD.
Shinee says
Awesome!!! Thank you for you feedback, Quinn!
Amanda says
Came out amazing in half the time of baking with way less mess. Made it exactly as recipe says. Came out perfect.
Shinee says
Yay, so happy you loved it, Amanda. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Sara says
I’m so sad this didn’t work I got a burn notice I think the meat sauce was to thick on the bottom and I should have had just water and sauce I ended up having to cook it in the oven. But I do like the piping bag idea made it super fast
Shinee says
Hey, Sara. Sorry to hear yours didn’t work. Did you mix the pasta sauce with the meat before adding the stuffed shells? If so, that’d definitely trigger the “burn” notice. You should only have meat on the bottom, and it’s important to deglaze the pan if there’s anything stuck on the bottom, before adding the stuffed shells. Then water and pasta sauce goes over the shells. Layering in this order is key here. Let me know if this helps. Hope you’ll give it another try. 😉
Meghan Bradley says
Very quick and easy to make!! Very filling!! There’s only two of us so there will be plenty of leftovers!! Highly recommend!!
Shinee says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Meghan! So glad you loved it.