EASY Dinner Idea PLUS an EASY Freezer-Friendly Meal!
I love making dinners that by making a little extra or by simply doubling the recipe, I can stick one pan in the freezer for another meal later on! These easy and delicious stuffed shells not only make a great weeknight dinner, they also are such a freezer friendly recipe. It’s an easy dinner idea that I like to make around here!
These stuffed shells also are great for taking to a potluck or making to take to someone who needs a meal. When I took these to our last church fellowship meal, they were completely wiped out! They are just always a crowd pleasing dish!
Stuffed Shells – An EASY Freezer Friendly Meal!
(scroll down for the recipe card)
Cook your ground beef and onion together on the stovetop, until the meat shows NO pink.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. I don’t use any measurements in this step. Just shake, shake, shake over and it’s good! Drain the grease off the meat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs (already beaten), Mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Add the cooked meat and onions.
:: PIN IT NOW FOR LATER ::
Meanwhile, you can have the shell noodles cooking on the stove. I like to start boiling the water the same time I brown the meat. Then I don’t have to stand around waiting for that water to boil before my shells can cook.
And, we all know, “A watched pot never boils!” š
Once the water is boiling, drop those shells in and cook for only 9 minutes. They will cook more when your stuffed shells are baking in the oven. Drain.
What I do after I drain them is put them back in the pot and spray with olive oil cooking spray, just enough to keep them from sticking. Then I arrange them single layer on a cookie sheet near the bowl of the filling.
In two 9 x 13 pans, dump 3/4 of each jar of sauce (1 jar per pan), saving the other 1/4 of the jar for later.
Start filling the shells with the filling.
You may or may not use all the shells before you run out of the filling or vice versa.
Arrange in the prepared pans.
Put a little bit of sauce on each shell. (The reserved sauce you had saved.)
Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle oregano on top.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.
Enjoy that warm, cheesy deliciousness!
Stuffed Shells Recipe - An EASY Weeknight Dinner PLUS an Easy Freezer Friendly Meal !
These easy stuffed shells are easy to make and easy enough to freeze for another meal later!
Ingredients
- 1 box dry jumbo shells
- 2.5 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning
- 1- 24 oz. tub cottage cheese
- 4 cups Mozzarella cheese, divided in half
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2- 24 oz. jars pasta sauce
- oregano
Instructions
Cook the ground beef and onion together on the stovetop, until the meat shows NO pink.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. I don't use any measurements in this step. Just shake, shake, shake over and it's good!
Drain the grease off the meat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs (already beaten), 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Add the cooked meat and onions.
Meanwhile, you can have the shell noodles cooking on the stove.
Once the water is boiling, drop those shells in and cook for only 9 minutes. (They will cook more when your stuffed shells are baking in the oven). Drain.
What I do after I drain them is put them back in the pot and spray with olive oil cooking spray, just enough to keep them from sticking. Then I arrange them single layer on a cookie sheet near the bowl of the filling.
In two 9 x 13 pans, dump 3/4 of each jar of sauce (1jar per pan), saving the other 1/4 of the jar for later.
Start filling the shells with the filling.
You may or may not use all the shells before you run out of the filling or vice versa.
Arrange in the prepared pans.
Put a little bit of sauce on each shell. (The reserved sauce you had saved.)
Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle oregano on top.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.
Enjoy!!
If you’re making a batch to freeze, these foil pans with lids work great!
NEED SOME MORE GREAT DINNER IDEAS?
