Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Homemade Marinara
By: Erica Schmidt
Published: Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 4:49am

Ingredients




For the Homemade Marinara
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chicken broth with 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2- 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning mix
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
For the Stuffed Shells
1 Tbsp salt
1- 12 oz box jumbo pasta shells
3 cups cottage cheese lowfat and small curd
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella divided
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning mix
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

Preparation

1 Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the chicken broth with vinegar and the balsamic vinegar and allow it to simmer for about two minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, Italian seasonings, salt and sugar. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low and allow the marinara to simmer for about 15 minutes. 2 In a large stockpot, bring four quarts water to a boil. Add one tablespoon salt and the shells. Cook according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. 3 While the shells are boiling, in a large bowl combine the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, one and a half cups of the mozzarella cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning and eggs. Stir until combined. To make it easier to stuff the shells, spoon the cheese mixture into a large zip top bag and cut off one corner. 4 Once the shells are done, drain and rinse. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place two cups of the marinara in the bottom of a glass 9" X 13" baking dish. Stuff the shells and place them on top of the sauce. Select shells that did not break in the boiling process, don't worry, you'll have plenty. Top the shells with three cups marinara. Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top, and bake for another 10 minutes. Allow this dish to rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

About

Embrace Meatless Mondays with this amazing Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Homemade Marinara recipe. With great flavor like this, you won't miss the meat!