These Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Creamy White Sauce are a nice change from the usually marinara stuffed shells.
Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Creamy White Sauce
Pasta is welcome in my life any old time, but cheese is something that I seriously couldn’t live without. There is nothing like the tang of a fantastic hunk of aged sharp cheddar, the flavor of a soft, fresh goat cheese, or the creaminess of a wedge of French brie. I love them all. That’s okay though because I’ve learned to live in moderation with this delicious evil. (But it’s not always easy!) My family is into cheese too, and they’re really into pasta, so that’s how these Three Cheese Stuffed Shells came about. They’re a delicious treat for all of us!
🛒Ingredients needed:
- large pasta shells
- ricotta cheese
- feta or goat cheese
- shredded cheese
- fresh basil and fresh chives
- salt and pepper
- butter
- flour
- half and half
- whole milk
✏️How to make Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Creamy White Sauce:
*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.
PREPARE THE FILLING:
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While the pasta is cooking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, mix all of the filling ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
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In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the half and half and milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly until very smooth. Bring to a boil- stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the salt and cheese. Set aside until ready to use.
ASSEMBLE THE SHELLS:
-
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Pour about 1½ cups sauce into the bottom of the pan. Fill the shells with the cheese mixture and set them in the pan (6 rows x 4 rows). Drizzle the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle basil and chives (if using) on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Bake 30 minutes, or until the shells are hot and bubbling and heated through. Leftovers keep well (and my husband says they’re even better the next day!)
➡️Recipe Tips:
- I always make a few extra shells since some of them inevitably tend to break apart while boiling.
- You want the shells to be slightly undercooked (al dente) before filling them. They’ll soften up a bit more as they bake and are much easier to fill when they’re not too soft.
- You could certainly use marinara sauce instead of cream sauce, if you’d like.
✔️What to serve withThree Cheese Stuffed Shells with Creamy White Sauce:
- This is a rich meal, so anything you serve with it needs to be on the lighter side. A fresh green salad would be nice.
- Citrus Roasted Asparagus would also be a great accompaniment.
- If you’re serving wine with these Cheese Stuffed Shells, I’d go for a lovely Chardonnay. It will enhance the cheesy flavors.
★How to Store:
Store leftovers in thre refrigerator and enjoy over the next 2 to 3 days. I’d avoid freezing these shells since sometimes white sauces can “break” in the process.
❤️Why I love this recipe:
- As I mentioned up top, I’m a chees lover and this special meal satisfies my cheesy cravings.
- I love that it’s a dinner my husband loves, too and always thinks it’s specail.
- As an added bonus, kids tend to like this one, too. It’s a real win when I can make a meal that pleases both adults and kiddos!
Pasta recipes to try:
- Burrata Baked Ziti
- Classic Beef Lasagna
- Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
- Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce
- Cheesy Baked Penne
- Spaghetti Carbonara
Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Creamy White Sauce
A delicious, different way to make stuffed shells!
Ingredients
PASTA:
- 24 large pasta shells, (prepared according to instructions), rinsed and cooled
FILLING:
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces feta or goat cheese (chopped finely)
- ¾ cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, sharp white cheddar, gouda, fontina)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 large eggs
- salt and pepper
SAUCE:
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces feta or goat cheese, chopped finely
TOPPING:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- salt and pepper
Instructions
PREPARE THE FILLING:
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, mix all of the filling ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the half and half and milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly until very smooth. Bring to a boil- stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the salt and cheese. Set aside until ready to use.
ASSEMBLE THE SHELLS:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Pour about 1½ cups sauce into the bottom of the pan. Fill the shells with the cheese mixture and set them in the pan (6 rows x 4 rows). Drizzle the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle basil and chives (if using) on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake 30 minutes, or until the shells are hot and bubbling and heated through. Leftovers keep well (and my husband says they're even better the next day!)
Notes
- I always make a few extra shells since some of them inevitably tend to break apart while boiling.
- Substitute marinara sauce for the white sauce, if you'd like
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (4 shells), Calories: 737kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 197mg, Sodium: 969mg, Potassium: 520mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1956IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 710mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
you had me at “3 Cheese”… 🙂
Loving the idea of goat cheese in stuffed shells