Pesto Lasagna Stuffed Shells (Printable Version)

Tender pasta shells filled with creamy ricotta, chicken, and basil pesto, baked in marinara with melted cheeses.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells

→ Filling

02 - 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
04 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
06 - 0.33 cup basil pesto
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
09 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce

10 - 2 cups marinara sauce

→ Topping

11 - 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook jumbo pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, mix together shredded chicken, ricotta cheese, 0.5 cup Parmesan, 0.5 cup mozzarella, basil pesto, egg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Stuff each cooked shell generously with the chicken and ricotta mixture, then arrange them in the baking dish with open side facing upward.
06 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top.
08 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day cooking when it really takes under an hour from start to table.
  • The pesto cuts through all that richness in a way that keeps it from feeling heavy, even with three cheeses involved.
  • You can stuff the shells ahead and bake them later, which means stress-free entertaining.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta shells in step two—they'll continue cooking in the oven and if you start with mushy shells, you'll end up with something that falls apart on the serving spoon.
  • The filling needs that egg to hold it together; I once skipped it thinking the ricotta and cheese would be enough, and the filling basically separated during baking and became grainy.
03 -
  • Buy good pesto if you're not making your own—the flavor difference between budget and quality versions is immediate and noticeable in every bite.
  • Taste the filling before you start stuffing shells and adjust salt and pepper then, because once everything bakes together you can't fix it.
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