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There is just something about Italian food that speaks to the soul. The combination of tangy tomatoes, delicious herbs like basil and garlic, creamy cheeses, and filling pastas appeals to almost everyone. This recipe for Stuffed Shells with Mushrooms and Italian Sausage does take some time to prepare.
After all, the stuffing of the pasta shells has to be done by hand and with care. However, if you need a great recipe that tells the people around you that they are valued, treasured and an important part of your life, this is the one. Add a tossed salad and some bread or rolls and you will have a meal that the most expensive Italian restaurant cannot beat.
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Stuffed Shells With Mushrooms and Italian Sausage Recipe
With four different kinds of cheeses, savory Italian sausage, and a sweet, tangy tomato sauce, our recipe for Stuffed Shells with Mushrooms and Italian Sausage is one dish that tastes as good as it looks. This show-stopping entree brings to mind the fancy dishes from your favorite Italian restaurant. It is perfect for a special birthday dinner with your whole family or as a fancy meal for guests.
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 stirrer
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Cooking spray
- 1 Oven
- 1 Aluminum foil
Ingredients
Stuffed Shells Ingredients:
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 eight ounce package cream cheese softened
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1 eight ounce can of mushrooms, drained
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 fifteen ounce can of tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet, brown the Italian sausage, chopping it with a spatula until it is thoroughly cooked and no more pink remains. Drain any grease that accumulates.
- As the meat is cooking, boil a pot of water and cook the pasta shells according to package instructions in salted water. Drain the shells, rinse them, and allow them to cool until you can handle the pasta shells.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese and the cooked meat until the cream cheese is thoroughly blended. Add the cottage cheese and the mushrooms, along with the beaten egg. Stir in one cup of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Add the salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until blended.
- Spray a nine inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, onion powder, dried basil, parsley, oregano, and salt.
- Pour half of the tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon the filling mixture into the shells and arrange them in the baking pan on top of the pasta sauce in rows.
- Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the top of the shells. Sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese over the top of the entire pan of pasta.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the pan for 30 minutes, covered with foil. Uncover the pan, turn the heat in the oven up to 400 degrees. Return the pan to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let the dish stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
So what if you really want to make this meal, but you have a busy week ahead? No problem. This is one recipe that can be easily made ahead of time. Just prepare the recipe as directed all the way up until it is time to bake it. Then, cover the pan with a plastic lid or with aluminum foil. Put the dish in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then remove it from the fridge, let it sit out for 15 to 20 minutes and bake the pasta as directed.
You can also freeze this ahead of time. Just freeze the unbaked dish for up to a month. When you want to prepare the pasta, take it out of the freezer the night before and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. After that, when you’re ready to bake it, proceed as directed.
Make-ahead meals are perfect for people who enjoy cooking and want to feed their families healthy meals but have packed schedules throughout the week. If you have planned correctly, just a bit of extra work on the weekend can help your family enjoy tasty meals in no time flat on an ordinary, busy weekday.
Add a bagged salad and a batch of homemade, no-knead bread and you will have a dinner that everyone will love. If you want to impress your fiancee's mother or a coworker, this meal is exactly the one.
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