Jump to Recipe. Craving a pasta dish that's a little different? This Unstuffed Marinara Shells recipe is a game-changer. Forget about stuffing those shells! These jumbo shells are filled with a delicious, tomato sauce and have a delightful base of whipped cottage cheese (you could also use ricotta). It's a simple yet satisfying meal that's perfect for any night of the week.
Instead of stuffing each shell individually, we're tossing them in a delicious, tomato marinara sauce and serving them over a bed of creamy whipped cottage cheese. It's just as flavorful, but with a fraction of the work.
This dish is packed with flavor and requires minimal prep work, making it the perfect comfort food.
For the tomato sauce, I kept it simple and delicious. I used canned tomato paste, peeled tomatoes, dried oregano, and thyme. To add a little extra kick, I used half-ground beef and half-ground Italian sausage. For a hint of spice, I toasted some red pepper flakes.
My “secret” ingredient... is toasting. We will toast the red pepper flakes and later toast the tomato paste. It really adds depth to the dish!
Another important step includes caramelizing the shallots. The cottage cheese is the “extra special” finishing touch.
If you haven't tried whipped cottage cheese, you're missing out! It's a game-changer for pasta dishes, adding a creamy and light texture that complements the flavors perfectly.
How to Make Whipped Cottage Cheese:
Simply blend cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and creamy.
You can add a splash of milk or a squeeze of lemon juice for extra flavor.
Why Whipped Cottage Cheese is a Must:
It adds a creamy texture without overwhelming the flavors.
It's a perfect base for unstuffed pasta shells.
Unstuffed Marinara Shells with Whipped Cottage Cheese Recipe
Servings: 4
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1-2 T Avocado Oil
1 pound jumbo pasta shells
1/2 LB Ground Beef
1/2 LB Italian Sausage
3 Shallots, diced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 t Dried Oregano
2 t Dried Thyme leaves
1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
2-3 T Brown Sugar
kosher salt and black pepper
2 cups chopped greens, such as kale, spinach, or chard Optional
1 cup whole milk cottage cheese, whipped in the blender
Instructions:
Heat the oil and toast the spices: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the shallots, oregano, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add garlic in the final minute of cooking. Cook until the shallots begin to caramelize, a few minutes. Be careful not to burn.
Add the beef and sausage and brown on all sides, about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Adjust seasonings to taste.
While the sauce is going, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
Once noodles and sauce are done, add pasta to sauce and toss. (Optional: Add greens, stir until wilted.)
Assemble the Pasta Bowls: Spread a layer of Cottage cheese in the bottom of each pasta bowl. Spoon the cooked pasta and sauce over the ricotta cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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