Tuna Stuffed Pasta Shells
Dive into our quick and easy Tuna Stuffed Pasta Shells! Jumbo shells bursting with creamy tuna, cheeses, and a garlic-infused cream sauce. This easy dinner recipe is baked to perfection, for a pure comfort weeknight meal.
Print Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Explore our must havesCheck out our recommended favorites!
Ingredients
For the pasta shells and the creamy tuna filling:
- 20-24 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 5 oz can of tuna in water drained and flaked
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
For the sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded for topping
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Boil a big pot of salted water. Cook the pasta to package instructions. Drain and add a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set it aside.
- Mix tuna, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, and onion in a bowl.
- Fill each cooked pasta shell with the tuna mix. Put them in a 9x13 baking dish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Slowly add cream, whisking until it gets thick (about 2-3 minutes). Season it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. If it gets too thick, add a bit of milk. It should be thick but still pourable.
- Pour this creamy sauce over the shells. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella on top.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Take off the foil.
- If you like, add some fresh parsley on top for looks. Serve it hot.
Notes
- Cook the pasta shells until they're soft yet still firm so they don't fall apart when stuffed and baked. This is called al dente.
- If you want the tuna mix to be creamier, add extra ricotta cheese. Even if the tuna mix seems dry now, it'll turn creamier after baking. The sauce also helps keep it from being dry.
- Instead of Parmesan cheese, you can try different cheeses like Gruyère, Fontina, or white cheddar for a special taste in the creamy sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 33gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 356mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1025IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 239mgIron: 3mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you make this recipe?
We would love to see it! Share it on your favorite social channel and tag us @busydaydinners