Stuffed pastas aren’t just for weekends or special occasions, especially when you can save time by relying on store-bought noodles. From indulgent mac and cheese stuffed shells to vegan lasagna roll-ups with a homemade almond ricotta, these easy dinner recipes are here to inspire your meal planning (they also make for the tastiest leftovers).
Meat Lovers' Pizza-Stuffed Shells
Store-bought shells are filled with sausage, bacon, ground beef and pepperoni for a pasta bake inspired by the ultimate meat lovers’ pizza. Plus, it’s ready in just an hour thanks to jarred marinara sauce.
Chicken Alfredo Manicotti
Pipe a chicken, cheese and spinach filling into uncooked tubes of pasta, and bake them to golden, bubbly perfection in a creamy Alfredo sauce for an indulgent dish.
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells
Instead of chicken Parm with a side of pasta, mash them together for a cheesy bake the entire family will adore. The secret to the Parmesan filling for these hearty shells is frozen chicken tenders.
Cannelloni with Butternut Squash, Pecans and Mascarpone
This rich vegetarian pasta recipe fills cannelloni tubes with sweet butternut squash, spinach, toasted pecans and creamy Mascarpone cheese.
Classic Manicotti
Simple and delicious, this dish fills manicotti tubes with a spinach and ricotta mixture baked in a homemade tomato sauce.
Mushroom Ravioli with Asparagus and Tarragon
You could roll your own pasta for this homemade mushroom ravioli dish, or buy sheets of fresh pasta from your local supermarket to cut down on prep time. Prepared with a light wine and broth-based sauce, the dish works as either a starter or main.
Mac and Cheese-Stuffed Shells
For the ultimate comfort food, stuff large pasta shells with small pasta shells, before smothering in a velvety cheese sauce. For a topping with crunch, crush cheese crackers and sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Butternut Squash Roasted Shells
This colourful pasta dish stuffs jumbo shells with a mixture of roasted butternut squash, Italian turkey sausage, and ricotta. Add a drizzle of Alfredo sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan before baking until golden.
No-Boil Stuffed Shells
Don’t boil your pasta shells before stuffing them, and instead allow the marinara sauce to cook them while they bake. Stuffed with a ricotta mixture and topped with shredded mozzarella, it’s a meal the entire family will love any night of the week.
Butternut Squash Tortellini with Brown Butter Sauce
In this vegetarian pasta that’s perfect for those chilly fall and winter dinners, Giada fills wonton wrappers with a mix of herbed ricotta and butternut squash, and tops them with a sweet and savoury brown butter sauce.
Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce
Impressive yet easy to make, these jumbo pasta shells are filled with a mixture of ground turkey, ricotta and artichokes, and topped with a spicy tomato sauce.
Ricotta-Stuffed Cannelloni
While you could make homemade pasta for this dish, store-bought cannelloni shells work just as well. Stuffed with a ricotta filling and topped with both a tangy tomato and a creamy béchamel, it’s baked until bubbly and best served with a simple green salad.
Stuffed Lasagna Pie
Store-bought lasagna noodles help bring this show-stopping main to life, creating a crisp shell to hold all of the meat sauce, cheese and sausage within.
The Pioneer Woman's Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells aren’t just for Sunday dinners any longer with this quick and easy recipe from Ree Drummond. In under an hour, your family can feast on cheesy stuffed pasta topped with zesty tomato sauce.
Beef and Cheese Manicotti
Manicotti doesn’t get more classic than Giada’s recipe, filled with a mixture of ground beef and ricotta. Bake them in a homemade marinara or your favourite jarred sauce, topped with shredded mozzarella.
Lasagna Rolls
Use your leftover lasagna noodles and make up a batch of these rolls stuffed with spinach, ricotta and prosciutto, smothered in both marinara and béchamel sauces.