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Cheesy Leek Stuffed Shells with Sausage Marinara

Cheesy Leek Stuffed Shells with Sausage Marinara

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 5

Equipment

  • 1 9” x 13” baking dish
  • 1 cheese grater

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients:

  • 20 jumbo pasta shells
  • 3 tbsp oil - divided
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 2 Leeks - white & light green parts only, halved lengthwise and then slice thinly
  • 1 yellow onion - finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic - minced
  • 24 oz Marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt & black pepper - to taste
  • Chopped parsley - for garnish

Cheese Filling

  • 1 ½ cups Ricotta Cheese
  • 4 cups about 16 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - divided
  • 1 large egg

Instructions
 

Cook the pasta:

  • Boil pasta shells according to package directions until al-dente. Drain and rinse under cold water, then lay them out on a baking sheet to cool so they don’t stick together.

Cook the leek:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sliced leek to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Season with a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, mix well. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cook the aromatics and sausage:

  • Add some more to the same pan, then add diced onions and sauté for about 3 minutes. Push onions to the side of the pan, then add sausage. Break it apart and cook until browned.

Make the sauce:

  • Stir the sausage, onions, and garlic together. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add marinara sauce then bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Prepare the filling:

  • In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, ¾ cups of parmesan cheese, egg, and cooked leek. Season with a little bit of salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Assemble the shells:

  • Spread 1 cup of sausage sauce into the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture and place them face-up in a single layer. Add any leftover filling into the gaps between shells.

Top with sauce and cheese:

  • Spoon the remaining sausage sauce evenly over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top.

Bake:

  • Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, serve warm, & enjoy!
Keyword American, Cheesy, Dinner, italian, Pasta, sausage
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