Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells

These Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells are a delicious pasta recipe that is inspired by supreme pizza and is quick and easy to make. Perfect weeknight meal!

If you enjoy eating pasta, then you have to try my other pasta recipes. This Martha Stewart One-Pan Pasta is so simple to throw together or for another no-fuss dinner try my Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe, just three ingredients. 

Spring has come and I can honestly say that it's finally beginning to feel like Spring is in the air. The weather is warming up, the days are longer, the pollen is out in full blast, and the grocery stores have so many wonderful seasonal ingredients that you cannot help but incorporate into your everyday dishes. I mean is it me or does produce just look so much better in the spring?

One ingredient that I do find myself cooking with often is onion and even though you can find a good onion any time of year, during the spring Vidalia onions are sweeter and more abundant. So I often find myself using them in more dishes and of course, you already know that my favorite dish usually involves pizza.

One such dish is these Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells which are perfect to make on a weeknight when you have no clue what to prepare for your family. This dish is so quick to make that you can have it on the table and ready for your family is less than 45 minutes.

Let's get started!

Ingredient Notes

1. Jumbo Pasta Shells - You can buy any brand that you prefer, and then cook it according to the instructions on the box. These are basically jumbo/big macaroni pasta shells, and kids will go nuts for them! 
2. Italian Sausage - You can cook up your sausage in a skillet until it is fully cooked and crumbled. If you don't want to use Italian sausage, then you can easily use ground beef instead. 
3. Garlic and Onion - These two ingredients together provide such powerful flavor that really elevates the stuffing that goes in the pasta shells.
4. Green Bell Pepper - This is the ingredient that is a staple on every supreme pizza. However, if you prefer, then you can leave this ingredient out. 
5. Pepperoni - You can cut up whole pepperoni round pieces into quarters or look in your local grocery store for mini pepperoni instead. They are small and perfect for being a topper for these pizza shells.
6. Pasta Sauce - If you enjoy making homemade sauce go right ahead or use whatever brand of sauce that you like. For busy weeknights, I find that store-bought works just as good and requires minimal prep. 
7. Mozzarella Cheese - You want to use shredded cheese for this. Grab classic or low-fat and it will provide the perfect cheesy twist to the pasta shells you are looking for.

Instructions

Begin the recipe by cooking the jumbo shells pasta according to the package directions. Try not to overcook the pasta and once it has finished, carefully drain the shell pasta from the water and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the diced onion and salt. Cook and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add in the ground Italian sausage, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and green bell pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage is cooked thoroughly. Stir in the quartered or mini pepperoni. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Grab the jumbo shells and fill each one with the sausage mixture and place in an 8x8-inch square baking dish with the open seam side down. Using plastic glove covered hands makes this process much easier.

Evenly top the shells with the pasta sauce and the rest of the pepperoni.

Spread the 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top, cover with aluminum foil, and bake covered for 20 to 25 minutes.

Carefully remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove the stuffed shells from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal Prep

Did you know that you can freeze this as a freezer meal? You would prep the pizza stuffed shells and place them in a freezer friendly baking dish. I like to use disposable aluminum style containers. Then wrap in two layers of foil to protect from freezer burn. 

You can freeze for 2 to 3 months. When you are ready to cook, simply leave covered in one layer of the aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes, and then uncover, and finish baking for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the pasta shells are warmed all the way through.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few helpful tips to help set you up for success when it comes to making these cheesy pizza stuffed shells. 

• Since you will bake the pasta shells once they have been stuffed, I recommend cooking your pasta just until it is al dente. That way when you finish the shells off in the oven they do not overcook and become soft. 
• Feel free to flavor your shells with any of your favorite pizza toppings. Black olives, Canadian bacon, or any other favorite toppings that you prefer. 
• The key to these shells when you are dicing up the veggies is to make sure they are small and uniform in size. This will ensure that they bake up properly and are not overly large in size when eating. 

Storage

These supreme pizza stuffed shells can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Just reheat in the microwave or in the oven. If you heat your pasta in the oven, cover the pan to prevent the shells from drying out. 

You can also freeze the stuffed pizza shells for 2 to 3 months. Place in a freezer-friendly container that is airtight. Then thaw in the fridge the night before you plan to eat them or reheat the shells from frozen. Note that the pasta will be softer once it reheats from being frozen.

Recipe

Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells

LaKita Anderson

These Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells are a delicious pasta recipe that is inspired by supreme pizza and is quick and easy to make. The perfect weeknight meal!

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 640 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 20 jumbo pasta shells
• ⅓ cup onion, diced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
• 4 ounces pepperoni, quartered and divided
• 1 cup pasta sauce
• 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

 

• Begin the recipe by cooking the 20 jumbo shells pasta according to the package directions. Try not to overcook the pasta and once it has finished, carefully drain the shells pasta from the water and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the ⅓ cup diced onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add in the ½ pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot), 2 cloves minced garlic, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ cup green bell pepper.
• Cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage is cooked thoroughly. Stir in 2 ounces of the quartered or mini pepperoni. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Grab the 20 cooked jumbo shells and fill each one with the sausage mixture and place in an 8x8-inch square baking dish with the open seam side down. Using plastic glove covered hands makes this process much easier.
• Evenly top the shells with the pasta sauce and the rest of the 2 ounces of pepperoni.
• Spread the 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top, cover with aluminum foil, and bake covered for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Carefully remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove the stuffed shells from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
• Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Just reheat in the microwave or in the oven. If you heat your pasta in the oven, cover the pan to prevent the shells from drying out. 

Notes

• Since you will bake the pasta shells once they have been stuffed, I recommend cooking your pasta just until it is al dente. That way when you finish the shells off in the oven they do not overcook and become soft. 
• Feel free to flavor your shells with any of your favorite pizza toppings. Black olives, Canadian bacon, or any other favorite toppings that you prefer. 
• The key to these shells when you are dicing up the veggies is to make sure they are small and uniform in size. This will ensure that they bake up properly and are not overly large in size when eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 29gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 1565mgPotassium: 585mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 623IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 256mgIron: 3mg

*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Keyword pizza stuffed shells

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Original post date 03/28/2016. Updated 05/09/2022.

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• Homemade Supreme Pizza
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• Cheesy Supreme Pizza Rolls

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to use these Supreme Pizza Stuffed Shells? Please share them in the comments below!