Stuffed shells with meat sauce and pink béchamel are a very tasty pasta dish, the classic dish for Sunday or festive meals, perfect for every occasion.
A very rich and tasty recipe, perfect even as a single dish served with a fresh salad.
The simple and appetizing stuffed shells will win everyone over in the family with their soft and tasty heart of minced meat and béchamel, and like baked pasta it is a dish very appreciated by both adults and children.
The shells, with their shape, are perfect for various fillings, such as meat, fish, or vegetables, so you can vary and prepare a baking dish with two or more different fillings based on your guests’ tastes.
The recipe is very simple, just prepare a simple meat sauce and béchamel, once the shells are cooked al dente, proceed with the filling, cover with pink béchamel due to the addition of tomato sauce, and off to the oven!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 20 pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce and Béchamel
- 7 oz minced meat
- 14 oz tomato purée
- Half onion
- Half carrot
- 1 sprig celery
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt
- Half tsp fennel seeds
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 2.8 oz Grana Padano, grated
- 1 cup cup béchamel
- 20 shells
Tools
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Stove
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Oven
Steps for Stuffed Shells
Prepare the sauté with the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, sauté with a bit of olive oil in a skillet and let it cook for a few minutes.
Add the minced meat, stir, and let it cook for about 5 minutes; when it changes color, pour in the tomato purée, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and salt. Mix everything well, cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
Add with a generous half glass of water and let it simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally; in the end, it should result in a good soft meat sauce, not too dry. Add a bit of grated Grana, mix and set aside.
In the meantime, cook the shells in water and salt and drain them al dente, removing them at least 3 minutes before the expected cooking time. Let them cool a bit; to prevent them from sticking, you can drizzle them with a little oil or arrange them on a tray with a kitchen towel.
You can use the pre-made one, but I recommend preparing it at home; it’s quick and much more tasty. You can find all the steps and even the video recipe here, make half the dose → Béchamel with toasted roux
When the béchamel is ready, ladle a bit of tomato sauce from the meat sauce and add it to the cream, mix well until you get a good pink-colored béchamel. If you prefer, you can use it white without tomato.
Pour a ladle of meat sauce and a bit of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish and sprinkle with some grated Grana. With a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill the shells and place them in the baking dish as you go.
Cover the shells with the pink béchamel, sprinkle with grated Grana, and transfer the baking dish to a preheated oven.
Bake the shells in a static oven at 356°F for about 25-30 minutes or in a convection oven for 20 minutes. The shells will be ready when they form a light crust. Adjust according to your oven’s power for cooking time; if needed, extend cooking by a few minutes and, additionally, complete with a few minutes of grilling.
Bring the shells to the table, let them cool for 5 minutes, and then serve!
Storage, tips, and variations
The shells keep in the fridge for 2 days, great reheated!
You can cover them with only white béchamel and also add some mozzarella pieces or other cheese or peas to the meat sauce.
The baked stuffed shells can also be prepared and assembled in advance and then baked just before serving at the table.
You can also use conchiglioni or paccheri to be stuffed.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use mixed minced meat?
Yes, you can use a mix of beef and pork, or crumbled sausage.
Can I use white béchamel?
Yes, you can use pure béchamel without adding tomato.
Can I add something else to the meat sauce?
For a richer filling, you can add chopped mozzarella, provola, caciocavallo, or other according to your taste.
Can I add peas to the meat sauce?
Yes, halfway through cooking the meat sauce, add the peas and cook until done.
What if you don’t like béchamel?
You can simply cover the shells with cooked tomato purée and a good amount of grated Grana.
