Side Dishes
Spinach & Pesto with Beef and Pork Stuff Shells
| Level: Easy |
Total Time: 45 min |
Yield: 6 servings |
This dish is such a great comfort meal with the Alfredo sauce, with beef and pork! This recipe is easy to put together for a friends dinner night or just an evening dinner with those hungry loved ones. Healthy and filling! Try it with our homemade Pesto sauce!
Spinach & Pesto with Beef and Pork Stuff Shells
Print RecipeServings: 6
Calories: 439kcal
This dish is great with the beef and pork, but if you prefer, you could try it with shredded chicken or ground turkey and it would still be a family favorite!
Equipment
- skillet
- large pot
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Ice bath bowl for noodles
Ingredients
- 4 cups Mozzarella cheese save 2 cups to top
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 pound Ground pork
- 15 oz Ricotta cheese
- 1 pkg Frozen spinach 10 - 12 ounces, thawed
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese save 1/2 for the top layer
- 1 jar Prego Creamy Basil Pesto Pasta Sauce 14.5 ounces
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
- 1 box Jumbo shells 16 ounces
- 1 large Yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic smashed
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat add oil add in the onion and cook until translucent 5 to 10 minutes. Then add in the minced garlic cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef and pork into the skillet and brown until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat onto paper towel to drain, and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven 425°.
- Heat a large pot of water over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon salts and bring water to boil and add in the shells (noodles). Cook until al-dente; 8 to 10 minutes but do not over cook them!
- Once the shells are done, drain them and add them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- In a large mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, beef and pork, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and spinach and 1 egg, stir to combine.
- Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan or spray with non stick spray. Spread a little of the pesto sauce on the bottom, then carefully stuff the shells with the cheese and meat mixture, placing into the pan when stuffed.
- Top with the remaining pesto sauce, and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan to the top.
- Cover the baking dish with tinfoil and cook for 25 minutes. After the 25 minutes is up remove from oven and carefully remove tinfoil and allow to bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly and ready to serve! Eat and enjoy!
Notes
- This turned out great with the beef and pork or you could use just one or the other. If you don't want that you could also do ground turkey. It's a great make it your own recipe and add whatever meat you want.