Stuffed Shells Fra Diavolo
Stuffed Shells Fra Diavolo is quick, easy, and so delicious! The large shell shaped pasta is stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, and fresh herbs, covered in a spicy fra diavolo sauce, and then topped with lots of gooey mozzarella cheese! These stuffed shells bake up perfect every time.
Ingredients
For the Fra Diavolo Sauce:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic, sliced very thin or minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (add a little more if you really like the spice!)
- 4 cups tomato puree
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Shells and Filling:
- 12 ounces jumbo shells
- 2 cups fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded (about 1 3/4 cups), divided
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
For the Fra Diavolo Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Add crushed red pepper, and stir. Add tomato puree, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Let cook for 8 minutes – stirring occasionally – or until the oil beings to rise and separate from the tomato puree. Mix in fresh herbs, salt, and pepper; taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside.
For the Shells and Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta shells and cook until al dente. Drain and cool under running water. Pat the shells dry; set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, half of the parsley ,basil, and all of the mint. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the eggs - mix well to combine; set aside.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- Stuff each shell with a heaping tablespoon or two of the filling and nestle the shells in the sauce as close together as possible. Drizzle 1 1/2 cups of the remaining sauce on top of the shells, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake the shells for about 35 minutes, or until golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Before serving sprinkle the reserved herbs on top of the shells; serve warm, with additional sauce and cheese if desired.
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