Meat Stuffed Shells

This recipe is: dairy freenut free

Everyone will love these easy and delicious, dairy free meat stuffed shells! Made with jumbo pasta shells, Italian turkey sausage and baby spinach this flavorful meal will have you reaching for more!

5 from 1 vote
Stuffed shells in bowls, served with dairy free parmesan cheese shreds.

Why I love this meat stuffed shells recipe

Stuffed shells are one of my all time favorite “special” meals. I say special because they really do take a bit of time to prepare, so you’re obviously not going to make them on a weekly basis. But, I still love them. If they’re on a menu at an Italian restaurant, I’m almost always going to order them. I shared my recipe for spinach and ricotta stuffed shells last summer, and believe me when I tell you they are amazing.

Since we stopped eating dairy (for the most part), I’ve been dying to come up with an equally satisfying dairy-free version, but I am not really into whole fake cheese scene. At least, not yet. So I thought I would give a meat filling a try, and to make things a little healthier, I went for Italian turkey sausage and spinach stuffed shells

And, it was a fantastic idea. They turned out perfect (after a few tweaks…), and I am almost as satisfied with them as my other recipe. Although, I really don’t think you can truly match the deliciousness that is ricotta cheese, these are definitely a close second. Plus, they’re really, really pretty.

Everyone loved them. Even my doubting family members. We served them with Caesar salad with homemade croutons.

If you like this recipe, you have to try these southwest chicken stuffed peppers, and this puff pastry sausage rolls and this Italian sausage risotto.

Searching for more sausage pasta recipes? You will love this Italian sausage and peppers pasta and this fennel sausage pasta. This pumpkin pasta with Italian sausage and this sausage tortellini soup, both are perfect for a fall day!

Close up of stuffed shell pasta in a bowl.

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A baking dish full of a baked pasta dish.

Ingredients & substitutions

  • Jumbo shell pasta – You will not use all of the shells, but cook the whole box – trust me some of them will break during the cooking process.
  • Vegan mozzarella – Use your favorite brand of vegan mozzarella shreds, but I’ve made a guide to dairy free cheeses and it includes a list of my favorite dairy free cheese.
  • Nutritional yeast – This adds a bit of extra cheesy flavor.
  • Breadcrumbs – Make sure to use a brand that does not contain hidden dairy ingredients.
  • Italian sausage – Check ingredients for dairy. We used a variety of mild Italian sausage for this recipe but you can use your favorite Italian sausage – hot, sweet or mild.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

overhead close up of meat stuffed shells in a baking dish being scooped by a spoon

How to make sausage stuffed shells

Cook the shells. Boil a large pot of water and and a heaping tablespoon or two of salt. Add the shells and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

If you’re not stuffing the shells right away, drizzle them with oil to prevent them from sticking.

Make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients and mix until combined. Try your best not to over mix, or you’ll end up with a tough filling. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just mixed.

Mix the sauce. In a separate mixing bowl, stir the sauce ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.

Stuff the shells. Spread a thin layer or sauce into the baking dish and then scoop filling into each cooked shell and line them up in the baking dish.

I like to use a large cookie scoop to portion my filling for the shells, but you can use a spoon if you want. Just do your best to fill them with the an equal amount so they cook evenly.

Bake the shells. Top the shells with any remaining sauce and cover the dish with foil. Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes.

Serve the shells. Make sure the filling reaches 165˚F before remove them from the oven. Then let the shells cool for about 5 – 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs such as basil or parsley, or your favorite dairy free cheese (or regular cheese if you’re not dairy free).

close up of meat stuffed shell on a spoon

FAQS and tips for making meat stuffed shells

  • Can you freeze stuffed shells? Stuffed shells are made for freezing. I like to freeze mine uncooked and un-sauced, then I assemble and bake as directed when I’m ready. But, you can freeze your leftovers too.
  • How long can stuffed shells last in the fridge? This recipe should last for 3 – 5 days in the fridge as long as it’s stored in an airtight container or tightly covered in plastic wrap. But, always use your best judgment before consuming leftovers.
overhead view of meat stuffed shells in a baking dish

Meat Stuffed Shells

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
You don’t need ricotta to make the best stuffed shells recipe! These meat stuffed shells are filled with a savory stuffing made from beef and Italian sausage with a hint spinach and dairy free mozzarella. Everyone will love this super easy recipe!

Ingredients

For the shells:
  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage*
  • 1/2 pound ground beef (80-85% lean)
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs*
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 12- ounce package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained of water)
  • 1 cup vegan mozzarella
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • Pinch of coarse salt
For the sauce:
  • 2 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  • Cook pasta shells in salted water according to package directions for al dente.
  • While the pasta is cooking, mix the filling ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly combined.
  • In a separate large bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together.
  • When the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cool water.
  • Spread a thin layer of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
  • Stuff each shell with a few tablespoons of the filling and place into the baking dish. Continue until all shells are stuffed. Top with additional sauce.
  • Cover the pan with foil and bake the shells for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling reaches 160˚F. Remove from oven and allow the shells cool for about 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

You will probably only use about 3/4 of the cooked shells, but making the whole package will ensure you have enough shells if some break in the cooking or filling process.
If you aren’t dairy free, feel free to substitute equal amounts of regular low-moisture mozzarella cheese for the vegan mozzarella shreds.
*Make sure you check the labels on your packages for hidden dairy before using. Breadcrumbs and sausage tend to be products that often use dairy in the ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 14g Fat: 19g Trans Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 69mg Sodium: 565mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 4g Vitamin C: 9mg

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6 Comments

  1. 3am and I realize I never added the shells to my grocery order. I open the link to see “did I forget that recipe altogether?!” And no, I didn’t. The shells aren’t on the ingredient list…. So is it 1 box then?

    1. You should follow the directions on the package of shells. Making sure to cook to al dente, this is important so the shells do not over cook when they absorb juices during baking.

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