Cheesy Taco Stuffed Shells
Put a spin on taco night with these Cheesy Taco Stuffed Shells! Instead of tortillas, stuff seasoned taco meat into pasta shells and top it with plenty of melty cheese for a fun family dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 456kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 pounds lean ground beef can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1½ Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 16-oz bottle taco sauce, divided, can substitute salsa
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- 2 cups shredded Cabot Pepper Jack cheese divided
- 1 12-oz. box jumbo pasta shells
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 1 Roma tomato diced
Instructions
- Using a large skillet, add olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic, stir and continue sautéing for 1-2 more minutes.
- Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, onion powder, salt and black pepper; stir until well combined. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 more minutes, or until beef is mostly cooked through.
- Add 1 cup of taco sauce and broth; stir until well combined. Reduce heat to medium heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened noticeably.
- Remove skillet from heat and add 1 cup of shredded Pepper Jack cheese; stir until well combined. Set ground beef mixture aside.
- Meanwhile, boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9”x13” casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread ~¼ cup of taco sauce into bottom of dish.
- Fill each pasta shell with ~2 Tablespoons of taco filling. Place filled shells in prepared baking dish.
- Drizzle remaining taco sauce on top of filled shells.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Uncover dish, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top and continue baking for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has fully melted.
- Garnish top of stuffed shells with chopped green onions and diced tomatoes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1020IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 5mg
