Pesto Lasagna Stuffed Shells (Printable Version)

Tender jumbo shells stuffed with ricotta cheese and pesto chicken, smothered in marinara and baked until bubbly.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells

→ Filling

02 - 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 0.75 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
07 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 0.5 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Pesto Chicken

09 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
10 - 0.33 cup basil pesto

→ Assembly & Baking

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 1 cup mozzarella, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs until smooth.
04 - In a separate bowl, toss cooked chicken with basil pesto until evenly coated.
05 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
06 - Fill each shell with approximately 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture, then top with a spoonful of pesto chicken. Arrange stuffed shells in the baking dish.
07 - Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella.
08 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks fancy enough to impress people, but comes together faster than traditional lasagna.
  • The combination of creamy ricotta, herbaceous pesto, and tangy marinara tastes like someone actually planned a sophisticated meal.
  • You can prep the components ahead and assemble everything the morning you plan to bake it.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the pasta shells slightly after draining them, because trying to fill warm shells is like trying to pack a suitcase while the fabric is still steaming.
  • If your ricotta filling tastes bland before going into the oven, it will taste bland after coming out, so taste it and season boldly.
  • The marinara sauce carries more weight in this dish than you might expect, so choose one you genuinely enjoy eating by the spoonful.
03 -
  • If your ricotta filling is looking dry, add a tablespoon of the pasta cooking water to loosen it slightly instead of adding more cheese.
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the ricotta filling, which makes the process faster and keeps you from overstuffing the shells.
  • Taste your pesto before adding it to the chicken, because some store-bought versions are saltier than others and you might need to adjust the salt in your filling accordingly.
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