Olive Garden Stuffed Shells Recipe

This easy copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Shells recipe is family friendly, easy to prep with some store-bought shortcuts, and great for making a double batch for leftovers!

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Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

20 jumbo pasta shells
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup store-bought Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Olive oil for drizzling
Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Stuffed Shells Filling

2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Grease a 9X13 baking dish and set aside.
Cook pasta shells in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the minimum time listed on the package, about 9-10 minutes.
They should remain very firm as they will continue cooking in the oven. Rinse with cool water.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, chopped parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Stuff each cooked pasta shell with a generous amount of the cheese mixture and place them in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
Pour the store-bought Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with a drizzle of olive oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the sauces.
Drizzle olive oil over the top of the stuffed shells.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, before serving.

Notes

Don't overcook the pasta. The shells will cook in the oven some more.
Make extra pasta shells. I have a tendency to tear mine with stuffing them so like to make some extra ones just in case.
Feel free to use jarred sauces. This is supposed to be easy so feel free to make the necessary shortcuts!
Substitute gluten free pasta shells and bread crumbs if needed.
Substitute other Italian cheeses if you prefer.
Don't have ricotta? Try a large curd cottage cheese.
No breadcrumbcs? Use panko breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or homemade breadcrumbs.

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