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unstuffed pasta shells in red meat sauce on creamy cheesy mixture.
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5 from 5 votes

Unstuffed Shells

Unstuffed Shells are a quick and easy twist on classic stuffed shells, featuring tender pasta tossed with a meaty marinara sauce served over a creamy whipped cottage cheese mixture instead of being individually filled. This 30 minute recipe is perfect for busy nights, offering all the comforting flavors of traditional baked shells with less effort.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 675kcal
Author: Courtney Paige

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Meat masher
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Food Processor
  • strainer

Ingredients

Noodles

  • 1 box jumbo stuffed shells 12 oz
  • 1 ½ cups pasta water *always save more than needed just in case!

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small white onion diced
  • 8 oz ground turkey sausage
  • 8 oz ground spicy Italian pork sausage
  • 1 large can diced tomatoes 28 ooz
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil julienned
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Whipped Cheese

  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil
  • 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • pinch red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  • Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions in a large pot. Before draining, save at least 1 ½ cups of pasta water.
  • Heat the large pot again with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion to the pot. Brown for 5 minutes, then add the turkey & pork sausage. Break sausage into clumps and allow the sausage to cook, stirring throughout..
    ground meat in large gray pot.
  • Meanwhile, in a food processor, add all ingredients needed for the cottage cheese whipped “ricotta” and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
    creamy stuffed shell filling in food processor.
  • Once the sausage is almost cooked through, add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1 cup of pasta water. Stir. For more flavor, season sauce with salt, black pepper, italian seasoning, and/or red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Fold in the tender pasta shells. Add the finely chopped basil to the sauce and stir together. If the sauce is too thick, add in pasta water to thin as necessary. While the pasta is still warm, stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese.
    shell pasta noodles topped with chopped basil in a red meat sauce in a large pot.
  • To serve, spread the cottage cheese mixture onto the bottom of your bowls, add the pasta noodles on top and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Do NOT rinse the pasta noodles because the starch on the surface helps the homemade sauce cling better. 
Store the cheese mixture and noodles separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also choose to combine the whole thing which will create a more creamy sauce instead of separate components.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 1208mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 18g