Easy Meatball Stuffed Shells

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Easy Meatball Stuffed Shells is a simple and quick dinner recipe that combines meatballs, pasta and cheese in the most beautiful way!

March 9th is National Meatball Day. What better way to celebrate than by making this delicious and Easy Meatball Stuffed Shells recipe using Cooked Perfect Meatballs? This recipe is simple to make for lunch or weeknight dinners, inexpensive, and can even be frozen to be cooked up later.

Cooked Perfect Meatballs are the perfect addition to a variety of weeknight dinners without spending extra time in the kitchen. The Italian Style meatballs are great in this recipe because they are crafted with the best ingredients and flame-broiled to perfection for a flavorful taste every time.

While the pasta shells are boiling, mix together ricotta cheese (or substitute with cottage cheese), shredded parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese. If you don't like ricotta or cottage cheese, you can omit this step from the recipe. I just love the cheesy creaminess it adds to the recipe.

Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the baking dish so that the shells don't stick. Rinse the pasta shells in cold water and drain well. Open up the shell and add a spoonful of the cheese mixture in the center.

Since the meatballs are already cooked, all you have to do is heat them up! Press a frozen meatball down into the cheese to surround it in cheesy goodness! Place the meatball stuffed shell into the baking dish and keep filling shells until the pan is full.

Cover the shells with more spaghetti sauce and top with remaining shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.

Easy Meatball Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
12 frozen, Italian Style Cooked Perfect Meatballs
12 jumbo pasta shells
8 oz ricotta (can also use cottage cheese)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (14 oz) jar spaghetti sauce (or use your favorite recipe)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Pour 1/4-1/2 cup spaghetti sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
3. Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package. Drain with cold water and let cool.
4. *Combine ricotta, 1/8 cup parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. 
5. Stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture and one meatball per shell. Place shells in prepared baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce and remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. 
6. *If desired, you can freeze the baking dish to cook later at this point.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

*If you don't like ricotta or cottage cheese, you can omit this ingredient entirely. Just place a meatball in the pasta shell and top with sauce and cheese.

**To freeze: follow the recipe and place the unbaked shells in a disposable aluminum baking pan. Perfect for reheating for lunches and dinners, or if you need to take a meal to someone else!

The Italian Style Cooked Perfect Meatballs are located in the freezer aisle, as well as other varieties including Homestyle, Angus Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Sweet Italian, and Swedish.

This is an appetizing lunch or dinner meal that everyone in my family loves. The leftovers reheat well in the microwave, and freezes beautifully for you to heat up later for a quick weeknight dinner!

Visit Cooked Perfect Meatballs to purchase at a location near you, and visit Cooked Perfect Meatballs on Facebook for more recipe inspiration!

What will you make with Cooked Perfect Meatballs?