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Ground Pork and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
These creamy Ground Pork and Ricotta Stuffed Shells are the ultimate baked comfort dish. Savory, seasoned ground pork, ricotta, spinach, and parmesan fill tender pasta shells nestled into a luscious brown butter Alfredo sauce infused with herbs and cream. Perfect for that cozy family dinner or an impressive meal packed to go.
50 min 
Prep 20 min 
Serves 0
Ingredients
- For Ground Pork and Ricotta Stuffed Shells:
- 1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 container (15 oz) part-skim or low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 5 oz fresh spinach, wilted)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
- For Easy Brown Butter Sage Alfredo:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
- For Ground Pork and Ricotta Stuffed Shells:
- 1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 container (15 oz) part-skim or low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 5 oz fresh spinach, wilted)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
- For Easy Brown Butter Sage Alfredo:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook pasta shells according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and seasonings, and cook 8-10 minutes, breaking into small pieces, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 160°F with a 3-minute rest. Let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, well-squeezed spinach (remove as much moisture as possible), 1/2 cup parmesan, and egg. Stir in the cooked ground pork until evenly combined.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes. Watch closely to prevent from burning. Add dried herbs and stir to release aromatics. Add garlic powder and stir for 10 seconds. Pour in cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
Remove from heat and gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. If needed, return to very low heat briefly to help it melt – do not boil.
Spread half the alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with the pork-ricotta mixture and arrange in the dish. Pour remaining alfredo over the shells and cover with foil.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and bubbling. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more to lightly brown the top. Serve hot shells with extra Parmesan for grating.