These Cheesy Stuffed Shells Are the Easiest, Most Crowd-Pleasing Dinner I Know

At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand-new recipes on the site every single week. But at home, we also have our own tried-and-true dishes that we make over and over again — because quite simply? We love them. And we decided to start sharing some of our absolute favorites with you. Here’s a peek into what we’re cooking and eating in our own kitchens.

When it comes to hosting friends or family for dinner, I tend to be overly ambitious. I pester colleagues and scour cookbooks and Instagram for the “it” thing to make, then devote hours to trying as many new recipes as I can. Everyone is always gracious and well-fed, but to be honest, I all too often exhaust myself.

A couple of years ago, in a rush to figure out what to make for a impromptu family dinner, I gave myself a pass and decided to make Kitchn’s easiest stuffed shells recipe. It calls for just six ingredients, most of which are store-bought conveniences like jarred sauce and shredded mozzarella. As someone who often spends entire afternoons rolling out fresh pasta for family and friends, I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the silly standards I set for myself. But to my surprise, these shells got eaten up faster and received more rave reviews than any overcomplicated dinner I’d prepared in the past.

Honestly, who isn’t happy with cheesy pasta bathed in red sauce? Italian-American classics are some of the most comforting, crave-able dishes around, so there’s no wonder these shells won over friends and family.

This is a casserole that never goes out of style. I serve it family-style with a simple salad, a bottle of red wine, and a small dish of red pepper flakes. I can assemble the whole thing in about 20 minutes, stash it in the fridge, then pop it in the oven when the doorbell rings. It’s a homey meal that all too quickly disappears from the table.

It’s okay to lean on conveniences, and this dinner is proof. While you can splurge on high-quality ricotta from an Italian market, you certainly don’t have to. I’ve made it with the extra rich and creamy stuff and the slightly grainy, sub-par tubs most supermarkets carry and both have been wildly successful. Don’t bother shredding your own mozzarella — just reach for the bagged stuff and keep your box grater clean. One ingredient I do feel strongly about is the marinara sauce. Because the shells are bathed in it, you’ll want to buy one you love the taste of. My favorite widely available brand is Rao’s (it won our taste test, too).

Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, the prep is just as easy: You’ll boil jumbo pasta shells until almost al dente, combine the cheeses and chopped parsley as they cook, then fill the shells with the cheese mixture. Into the baking dish they go, topped with the marinara sauce and more cheese. At this point, you can cover the dish with foil and toss it in the refrigerator. When it’s almost time for dinner, pop it into the oven, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling, and your favorite people are gathered around the table.

Get the recipe: Classic Stuffed Shells