![\"Top:](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cottage-cheese-stuffed-shells-pin-625x1250.jpg\"\/)
<\/div>\n<\/p>\n These Ground Beef Stuffed Shells are extra cheesy, extra saucy, and packed with protein thanks to a cottage cheese filling. Jumbo pasta shells get stuffed with a creamy cheese mixture, nestled into a hearty ground beef marinara, and baked until bubbly. It\u2019s the kind of cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner that\u2019s perfect for a potluck, a holiday table, or just a Tuesday night when you want something a little special.<\/p>\n Around here, we\u2019re serious about cheesy baked pasta, and we love using cottage cheese to make it extra creamy! Here in the Midwest, cottage cheese is the go-to for creamy pasta casseroles, whether it\u2019s Company Casserole<\/a> or Cottage Cheese Lasagna<\/a>. We took notes from our lasagna recipe when we were testing these ground beef stuffed shells, and I\u2019m so glad we did!<\/p>\n Swapping ricotta cheese for cottage cheese made a big difference in the texture of these stuffed shells. Ricotta can sometimes feel grainy and heavy, but this cottage cheese filling is smooth, creamy, and protein packed.<\/p>\n Layered with saucy marinara ground beef and a layer of melted mozzarella cheese, these stuffed shells are awesome for dinner parties or a holiday meal. They\u2019re a little elevated, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and make fantastic leftovers (if you\u2019re lucky enough to have any)! Pair them with a lemony arugula salad <\/a>for a perfectly balanced meal.<\/p>\n Courtney<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Step 1: Cook the shells.<\/strong> Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells until just al dente. Drain and toss with a bit of olive oil so they don\u2019t stick together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Step 2: Brown the beef.<\/strong> Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned on all sides. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, then drain off any excess fat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Step 3: Add the sauce.<\/strong> Season the beef with salt and pepper, then stir in the marinara sauce. Keep it at a low simmer while you make the filling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Step 4: Make the filling.<\/strong> In a bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and half the basil.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Step 5: Layer and stuff.<\/strong> Spread half of the meat sauce in a greased 9\u00d713 pan. Stuff each cooked shell with the cheese filling and arrange them tightly in the dish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Step 6: Top and bake.<\/strong> Cover the shells with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 10 minutes. Top with basil and serve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Yes! Assemble the shells up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the fridge. Bake according to the directions whenever you\u2019re ready to serve.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, ricotta is a great substitute if you\u2019re not a cottage cheese fan. The texture will be slightly different, but just as delicious.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This usually happens when the shells are overcooked or the cottage cheese has extra liquid. Cook the shells just to al dente and drain watery cottage cheese in a strainer before mixing the filling.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, you can freeze them baked or unbaked. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding about 30 minutes to the bake time, or thaw overnight in the fridge first.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Use a cookie scoop or spoon, or transfer the filling to a large zip top bag and pipe it in. Piping tends to be faster and less messy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n You\u2019re definitely going to want some Cheesy Homemade Garlic Bread<\/a> to mop up the extra sauce. For a veggie side, try my Easy Garden Salad<\/a> or Creamy Caesar Salad<\/a> (extra credit if you make your own Air Fryer Croutons<\/a>). It also pairs well with:<\/p>\n Be sure to check out some of our other Italian-inspired favorites:<\/p>\n Sign up for the\u00a0NeighborFood email community<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to get recipes in your inbox ad free and access exclusive content from us! You can also follow us on\u00a0Instagram<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Pinterest<\/strong><\/a>. Made our recipe? Leave us a star rating or comment below!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook for 12-14 minutes, or according to package directions. When the shells are al dente, drain well, then gently separate and toss with 1\/2 Tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.<\/span><\/p>\n 12 oz jumbo shells, <\/span>1 1\/2 Tablespoons olive oil<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up into large chunks spread across the pan. Cook, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Continue to cook until all sides are browned, then add the garlic, sauteeing another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, then drain off any excess fat.<\/span><\/p>\n 1 lb. ground beef, <\/span>3 cloves garlic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Turn the heat to low and season the beef to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the spaghetti sauce. Keep at a low simmer while you prepare the filling.<\/span><\/p>\n Kosher salt and pepper, <\/span>3 cups (24 oz jar) marinara sauce<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n In a medium bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, egg, \u00bd cup Parmesan cheese, \u00bd cup mozzarella cheese, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, Kosher salt, pepper, and half the basil.<\/span><\/p>\n 3 cups (24 oz) cottage cheese, <\/span>1 large egg, <\/span>1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, <\/span>2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, <\/span>1 Tablespoon dried parsley, <\/span>\u00bd teaspoon garlic powder, <\/span>\u00bd teaspoon dried oregano, <\/span>\u00be teaspoon Kosher salt, <\/span>\u00bd teaspoon pepper, <\/span>About 10 basil leaves<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and grease a 9 x 13 inch pan or large casserole dish.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Spread half of the tomato beef mixture on the bottom of the pan. Working with one shell at a time, scoop rounded tablespoons of filling into the shell and arrange them tightly together in the pan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Top the shells with the remaining tomato sauce mixture, followed by the rest of the cheese.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Cover the top loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional ten minutes. Top with remaining basil and serve.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Scoop](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-17.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nCottage Cheese Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef<\/h2>\n
Key Ingredients<\/h2>\n
![\"Ground](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ingredients-in-cottage-cheese-stuffed-shells.jpg\")
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How to Make Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef<\/h2>\n
![\"Ground](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-2-edited.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Ground](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-4-edited.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Cottage](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-5.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Jumbo](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-7.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Fresh](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-9.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nStorage and Make-Ahead Instructions<\/h2>\n
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![\"Casserole](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-10.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nTips for the Best Stuffed Shells<\/h2>\n
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FAQs<\/h2>\n
![\"Spoon](\"https:\/\/neighborfoodblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef-14-edited.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhat to Serve with Stuffed Shells<\/h2>\n
More Cheesy Comfort Food Pasta Recipes<\/h2>\n
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