Pizza Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage and Cheese

Pizza Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage and Cheese brings jumbo shells, Italian brat sausage, marinara or pizza sauce, and three cheeses into one baked dish. Blue Collar Chef fills each cooked shell with seasoned sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and egg before baking everything in sauce.

The shells are covered for the first part of the bake, then uncovered so the mozzarella can become bubbly and golden. A five-minute rest follows before serving.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The sausage is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and dried basil before it goes into the shell filling. Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and egg are mixed with that seasoned sausage for each stuffed shell.

Marinara or pizza sauce goes beneath and over the shells in the baking dish. The remaining mozzarella is sprinkled on top before the dish goes into the oven.

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Ingredients You'll Need

Start with 20 to 24 jumbo pasta shells and four Italian brat sausages with their casings removed. The sausage is paired with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, dried basil, salt, pepper, and a little red pepper flakes if wanted.

For the filling, use shredded mozzarella, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and one egg. One cup of mozzarella goes into the filling, while the remaining mozzarella is reserved for the top.

Marinara or pizza sauce is used in the baking dish and over the stuffed shells. Blue Collar Chef suggests using a favorite marinara or pizza sauce, with parsley added at the end.

How To Make It

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook jumbo shells according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Remove casings from Italian brats and cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease. Season sausage with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and dried basil. Stir well and remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, and the seasoned sausage mixture. Spoon the filling into each cooked shell.

Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place stuffed shells in the dish and pour remaining sauce over the top.

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy. Use your favorite marinara or pizza sauce.

Add a little red pepper flakes for a kick. Make ahead and refrigerate; bake the next day.

Add parsley and make it fancy.

Wrapping Up

These stuffed shells layer seasoned Italian brat sausage, cheese, and sauce in a 9×13 baking dish before the covered and uncovered bake. Let the dish rest, add parsley if desired, and serve. Recipe created by Blue Collar Chef for Trust Me Try It.

Pizza Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage and Cheese

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 20-24 jumbo pasta shells
• 4 Italian brat sausages casings removed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 cup marinara or pizza sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A little red pepper flakes
• Parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook jumbo shells according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove casings from Italian brats and cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease.
• Season sausage with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and dried basil. Stir well and remove from heat.
• In a bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, and the seasoned sausage mixture.
• Spoon the filling into each cooked shell.
• Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
• Place stuffed shells in the dish and pour remaining sauce over the top.
• Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
• Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
• Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
• Use your favorite marinara or pizza sauce.
• Add a little red pepper flakes for a kick.
• Make ahead and refrigerate; bake the next day.
• Add parsley and make it fancy.