Description
Slow Cooker Stuffed Shells with Meat are a cozy, hands-off dinner made with tender pasta shells stuffed with creamy cheese and savory meat, all slow-cooked in rich marinara sauce.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
28 oz crushed tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded provolone or fontina cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
12 oz jumbo pasta shells, uncooked
1½ cups water
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and crushed red pepper.
Add ground meat and cook until browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10–15 minutes.
In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Fill uncooked pasta shells with the cheese mixture.
Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer.
Top with remaining sauce, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, and pour water around the edges.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
Notes
Italian sausage adds extra flavor if you like a little spice.
Don’t overfill the shells—they expand as they cook.
Leftovers store well and taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg