Mushroom and Ham Stuffed Shells

Name: Mushroom and Ham Stuffed Shells
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 7 oz Jumbo Shells Pasta; 9 oz Cremini Mushrooms; 3.5 oz Ham (sliced or cubed); 1 Mozzarella; 2 Garlic cloves; 1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese (grated); 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese (fresh); Salt; Black Pepper; 1 tbsp Butter; 2 tbsp Flour; 2 cups Milk (room temperature); Salt; Black Pepper

Stuffed pasta shells are a very easy yet very delicious and impressive main course. They are stuffed with sautèed mushrooms, ham, fresh Ricotta, and melted Mozzarella cheese. Then covered with a layer of white sauce and baked in the oven until they get a golden-brown crust which is to die for. A fantastic weekend meal for the whole family.

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4.34 from 3 votes

A spoon taking two stuffed shells from the baking dish to serve

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I love stuffed pasta, in all its shapes and forms. From Ravioli to Cannelloni. Stuffed Shells, though, are the easiest to make because you don't need to make fresh pasta from scratch and you don't need any special tools like cutters or piping bags. All you need is a baking dish and a spoon.

If you like baked pasta dishes you should also try this French Onion Pasta Bake or the classic Italian "Pasta al Forno".

Ingredients

Shells. Shells are my favorite pasta shape to stuff because of their cute shape. But you can also stuff other types of pasta, like Manicotti, or Paccheri.
Béchamel sauce. Béchamel or white sauce is essential in all baked pasta dishes. It glues and cooks the pasta uniformly, leaving you with perfectly cooked and saucy pasta. You can easily make it yourself (see recipe card) or buy it jarred.
Ricotta. Ricotta cheese makes any pasta filling creamy and delicious. I do not recommend substituting it with any other cheese.
Mushrooms. I love to use Cremini mushrooms for this kind of stuffing, but you can also use wild mushrooms, Porcini, or any other mushroom type you like.
Ham. Thinly sliced cooked ham has the best flavor in my opinion. But you can also substitute it with cubed ham, or other cold meats like turkey, bacon, and so on.

Instructions

wooden spoon mixing bechamel sauce in a pan

Start by making the Béchamel sauce with butter, flour, and milk, then set it aside to cool down.

wooden spoon mixing minced mushrooms in a pan

Chop the mushrooms and sautèe them in olive oil with two garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper. Set them as well aside to cool down.

hand adding shredded ham to a bowl with ricotta

In a bowl prepare the filling with ricotta cheese, chopped ham, mushrooms, and half of the mozzarella cheese.

terracotta pot filled with stuffed shells

Cook the pasta halfway and cool it down. Stuff the shells with the mushroom and ham ricotta filling.

Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of a terracotta baking dish, then make a layer of stuffed shells. If you need to make a second layer, spread some béchamel on top before adding more shells.

stuffed shells covered with bechamel sauce and parmesan in a terracotta pot

Cover the whole dish with the remaining béchamel sauce and sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese.

baked stuffed shells in a terracotta pot out of the oven

Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F/220°C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

How to cook Stuffed Pasta

The most important thing in baked pasta is not to overcook or undercook the pasta. Nobody wants crunchy pasta or melt-in-your-mouth pasta. The key is to pre-cook the pasta just enough so that it can finish cooking in the oven and still end up with the perfect al dente texture.

The only pasta that I add raw in the oven, are Lasagne and Cannelloni. The reason is that the pasta is covered by plenty of sauce and it will cook in the oven for a longer time, which is enough to cook pasta perfectly.

But for baked pasta dishes, I usually pre-cook the pasta for 4-5 minutes less than the package directions and then let it finish in the oven. All the ingredients are already cooked so it won't stay long in the oven, just enough to get the beautiful golden crust.

Storage

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven to get the crunchy crust again.

You can also either freeze raw portions or baked leftovers. Let it cool completely, then move it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for up to 3 months. If you froze raw portions, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then follow the baking directions from this recipe. If you have frozen baked leftovers, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes. If they are too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of milk before reheating.

overhead baking dish with gratin mushroom ham pasta bake with a spoon

FAQ & Tips

How many stuffed shells is a serving?

Due to the dimension of the pasta, plus all the stuffing and sauce, 4-5 shells are enough for a good serving. If you plan to serve them accompanied by another course, like salad or meat, then 2-3 are probably enough.

Can you freeze them?

Yes of course. Like all pasta dishes, you can freeze them with no issues. You can either freeze raw portions or baked leftovers. Let it cool completely, then move it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to cook frozen stuffed shells

If you froze raw portions, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then follow the baking directions from this recipe. If you have frozen baked leftovers, let them thaw completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes. If they are too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of milk before reheating.