Large pasta shells are designed to hold fillings, making them especially useful for baked dishes where the pasta and sauce cook together. Their curved shape creates small pockets that capture the vegetables and tomato sauce, allowing each shell to become an individual serving.
The filling in this recipe combines finely diced zucchini, carrots, onions, and tomatoes. Cooking the vegetables before stuffing is important because it removes excess moisture and concentrates their flavor. If the vegetables are added raw, they may release too much liquid during baking.
A small amount of ricotta cheese helps bind the filling while keeping the vegetables as the main ingredient. The stuffed shells are arranged over tomato sauce, covered, and baked until tender.
Fresh parsley and basil finish the dish, adding color and a fresh herbal flavor that complements the cooked tomatoes.
Unlike a layered lasagna, stuffed shells allow each portion to be served individually, making them convenient for family dinners or gatherings.
Start with the Vegetable Cooking Guide:
https://www.letsveg.com/vegetable-cooking-guide
Video
Baked Pasta Shells Stuffed with Vegetables
Stuffed pasta has a long history in Italian cuisine, with regional dishes featuring pasta filled with cheese, vegetables, and other ingredients.
Large pasta shells, known as conchiglioni, are particularly suitable for stuffing because their curved shape holds generous amounts of filling.
This recipe is inspired by Italian baked pasta dishes, combining jumbo pasta shells with a savory vegetable filling and tomato sauce. The combination of carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, and herbs makes it a modern vegetarian variation rather than a specific traditional Italian recipe.
Ingredients
Equipment
soup pot with lid
Oven Baking pans
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with a small amount of olive oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for approximately 2 minutes less than the package's recommended cooking time.
- The shells should be flexible enough to fill but still slightly firm.
- Drain carefully and arrange them separately on a lightly oiled tray to prevent sticking.
- Finely dice the onion, carrots, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
- Keep the vegetable pieces small, approximately ¼ inch, so they fit comfortably inside the pasta shells.
- Mince the garlic and chop the tomatoes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and carrots.
- Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the carrots begin to become tender.
- Add the zucchini, red bell pepper, and garlic.
- Cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, black pepper, and salt.
- Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, until most of the excess vegetable moisture has evaporated.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the vegetables to cool for approximately 5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Add the ricotta cheese and chopped parsley.
- Stir gently until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- The filling should be moist enough to hold together but not watery.
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato passata, oregano, salt, black pepper, and water.
- Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Spread approximately 1 cup of the sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Using a small spoon, fill each cooked pasta shell with approximately 1–2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture, depending on its size.
- Arrange the shells in the baking dish with the open sides facing upward.
- Place them close together in a single layer.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce around and lightly over the stuffed shells, leaving some of the vegetable filling visible.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if using.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for another 8–10 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the pasta is tender.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the pasta to rest for approximately 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and garnish with basil leaves.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil if desired.
- Serve warm, spooning some of the tomato sauce from the baking dish over each portion.
Nutrition
Notes
Cook the shells slightly underdone: The pasta continues cooking in the tomato sauce during baking. Boiling the shells until fully soft can cause them to tear during stuffing or become mushy in the oven.
Cut vegetables into small pieces: Dice the carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper into approximately ¼-inch cubes. Larger pieces make the shells difficult to fill and can prevent the filling from holding together.
Remove excess vegetable moisture: Zucchini and tomatoes release water as they cook. Continue sautéing until the liquid has mostly evaporated before adding the ricotta. A watery filling can dilute the tomato sauce during baking.
Adjust the filling: If the mixture seems too loose, allow it to cool further before stuffing. If it is too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of tomato sauce to help bind the vegetables.
Prevent dry pasta edges: Make sure the bottom of the baking dish is covered with tomato sauce and that the shells are lightly coated before baking. Keep the dish covered for the first part of baking so exposed pasta edges do not become hard.
Make ahead and storage: Assemble the stuffed shells up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate before baking. Refrigerate cooked leftovers for up to 3-4 days and reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, adding a little tomato sauce or water if needed.
Cut vegetables into small pieces: Dice the carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper into approximately ¼-inch cubes. Larger pieces make the shells difficult to fill and can prevent the filling from holding together.
Remove excess vegetable moisture: Zucchini and tomatoes release water as they cook. Continue sautéing until the liquid has mostly evaporated before adding the ricotta. A watery filling can dilute the tomato sauce during baking.
Adjust the filling: If the mixture seems too loose, allow it to cool further before stuffing. If it is too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of tomato sauce to help bind the vegetables.
Prevent dry pasta edges: Make sure the bottom of the baking dish is covered with tomato sauce and that the shells are lightly coated before baking. Keep the dish covered for the first part of baking so exposed pasta edges do not become hard.
Make ahead and storage: Assemble the stuffed shells up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate before baking. Refrigerate cooked leftovers for up to 3-4 days and reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, adding a little tomato sauce or water if needed.