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Puerto Rican Stuffed Shells

Puerto Rican Stuffed Shells (Caracoles Rellenos)

Puerto Rican stuffed shells or caracoles rellenos are pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese, savory ground beef, and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella. I love making this for dinner on busy weeknights as it comes together in 45 minutes or less. It also freezes well so you can make ahead and keep a stash for later use!
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 large pot see notes for links
  • 1 large pan with lid see notes for links

Ingredients
  

Pasta

  • 20-24 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

Cheese

  • 2 tazas ricotta cheese 16 oz
  • 1/4 taza parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp ajo en polvo
  • 1/2 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/2 tsp sal
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh or dried parsley plus more for garnish
  • 1 taza shredded mozzarella cheese for sprinkling

Ground beef

  • 1 lb carne molida
  • 1/4 taza sofrito
  • 1 tbsp chicken or beef bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
  • 12 oz marinara sauce half of one 24-oz jar
  • 1/2 tbsp adobo
  • 1 tsp sazón
  • 1/2 tsp cebolla en polvo
  • 1/2 tsp ajo en polvo
  • 1/4 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Pasta

  • Place a large pot of water over high heat. Add salt, to taste.
  • Once the water is boiling, add the pasta shells and cook for 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta and drizzle with olive oil to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.

Cheese

  • In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Ground beef

  • Brown the ground beef and remove any excess fat from the skillet.
  • Add sofrito and bouillon and sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add tomato sauce (about half of one 24-oz jar), seasonings, cover and cook for a few minutes on low heat.
  • Place a large pan over low heat. Spread some marinara sauce at the bottom of the pan. Stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture followed by the ground beef on top. Place the shells in the pan and top with a drizzle of marinara and shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Drizzle about 1 tbsp of water over the shells, cover the pan and cook on very low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese has melted.
  • Garnish with parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of parsley, and serve. ¡Buen provecho!

Video

Notes

Tips:

Some of my favorite store-bought marinara sauces are Victoria and Rao's Homemade Marinara.

Can I freeze stuffed shells?

Yes, this recipe freezes well! Assemble the shells in a baking dish, cover with foil or plastic wrap and freeze. To thaw, transfer the dish to the refrigerator about 10 hours before you plan to serve. Remove from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temp for about 30 minutes, while the oven preheats. For best results, bake in the oven, covered, for 30 minutes, or until warmed through.

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Keyword caracoles rellenos, caribbean recipes, Puerto Rican recipes, puerto rican stuffed shells, stuffed shells