Beefy Stuffed Shells
Original pasta recipe is from Diabetic Living The Ultimate Diabetes Cookbook. Packing these shells with added veggies and less cheese makes them a healthier choice. Extra lean beef, reduced-fat cheese, and no salt added canned tomatoes keeps the saturated fat and sodium under control. We added a side salad with oil & vinegar dressing to round out the meal. Note that the directions for our version are very different than the book. In our recipe we are cooking the meat, veggies, and sauce together which results in a chunky sauce, not a smooth traditional "spaghetti" sauce. The result is very good without all the time involved to cook meat in one skillet, veggies in another skillet, and then have to puree with a blender to make a sauce. Both methods will deliver a satisfying dish; just giving you options.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 (12-ounce) box Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 12 ounces 93% Lean Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces Mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- ½ cup Carrots shredded
- ¼ cup Celery chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 ounces Reduced Fat Italian Style Cheese Blend
- 1 Tomato chopped
Instructions
Cook the Pasta Shells:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Cook pasta shells according to package directions without salt for al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain, and rinse again. Set aside.
Make the Meat and Veggie Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or pot over medium heat. Add ground beef, onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking meat up as it cooks. Add mushrooms and cook another 3 minutes. Add garlic and seasoning and cook for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes with can juices and salt. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Bake the Casserole:
- Place the cooled shells in prepared baking dish open side up. Fill each shell with meat mixture, about 2 tablespoons each. Sprinkle any remaining mixture over the stuffed shells in dish. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove cover, top with cheese and chopped tomatoes. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
Plate and Serve:
- Divide cooked shells evenly between 6 plates and serve hot.Any extra servings can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days in refrigerator. Let cool completely before sealing container.
Nutrition Facts
Beefy Stuffed Shells
Amount per Serving
Calories
342
% Daily Value*
Fat
12
g
18
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Cholesterol
43
mg
14
%
Sodium
256
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
40
g
15
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
26
g
52
%
Carb Count
2.5
16
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Food Groups ***Meat = 1.5 servings, Grains = 2 servings, Vegetables = 1.5 servings, Dairy = .5 serving
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