These rich and creamy stuffed shells with pumpkin cream sauce is total comfort food. The pasta shells are filled with mozzarella, ricotta and parmigiano reggiano cheeses. This recipe brings your favorite Italian dinner mixed with pumpkin fall flavors.
Looking for more pasta recipes? Try my fettuccine alfredo, beef stroganoff, creamy sun-dried tomato pasta and 20 minute pumpkin ravioli.
This recipe was first published 09/08/21.
Are you ready to welcome fall with a new pumpkin recipe? My recipe for stuffed shells with pumpkin cream sauce is rich and indulgent. The shells are stuffed with three cheeses and seasonings and are nestled into a decadent pumpkin cream sauce.
Pretty similar to my 20 minute pumpkin ravioli.
Compared to the pumpkin ravioli these stuffed shells have more cheesy goodness since it's made with mozzarella cheese.
When the shells bake the extra cheese on top melts into the cracks and creases of the dish, making it that much better.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy. These pumpkin cream stuffed shells are quick and easy to make. It takes less than an hour.
- Three Cheese. Each shell is stuffed with a mixture of parmigiano reggiano (the real parmesan, not the kraft kind), mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese.
- Seasonings. Fresh rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper make this dinner special and helps it taste like it just came out of a restaurant kitchen.
Ingredients
- Jumbo Pasta Shells: Any brand of jumbo pasta shells will work.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: This is the real deal, it comes in a block or sometimes you can get it in a container but it will be labeled parmigiano reggiano. Don't use Kraft parmesan from the green bottle.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Whole milk mozzarella cheese.
- Ricotta Cheese: Whole milk ricotta cheese.
- Fresh Rosemary: Don't substitute dried rosemary for fresh, it won't taste the same. You really need fresh rosemary for this recipe.
- Nutmeg: There isn't a ton of nutmeg in this recipe but it does add a lot of flavor.
- Butter: Use real butter, not margarine.
- Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic adds so much flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree: Pumpkin puree comes in a can and has nothing added to it. Make sure not to grab pumpkin pie filling.
- Half and Half: Used for the pumpkin cream sauce.
How To Make Stuffed Shells With Pumpkin Cream Sauce
Cook the pasta. Start by boiling the jumbo shells in salted water. Try to cook them just until they are al dente, much softer and they will start falling apart. It's easier to fill al dente shells than too soft. Drain them and let them cool slightly so you can handle them easier when stuffing.
Prepare the filling. The filling is such an easy step, all you need is a bowl and a spoon to mix together the cheeses, chopped rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Make the sauce. To make the sauce melt butter and minced garlic in a pan with the nutmeg. Then add in the pumpkin puree, half and half, parmigiano reggiano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Keep stirring until everything is combined and the sauce is smooth.
Stuff the shells. To easily stuff the pasta shells hold the top/bottom of the shell with your thumb and middle finger pressing so the shell opens up.
Use a spoon to fill the shell. Stuff them one by one, and set the stuffed shell in the pumpkin cream sauce.
Finish it with some extra mozzarella cheese on top, bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees farenheit.
Pro Tips
- Nutmeg. Nutmeg is always the secret ingredient in pumpkin dishes.
- Pasta. Cook your pasta just until it is al dente.
- Fresh Mozzarella. Opt for a block of mozzarella cheese and grate it yourself, don't buy the pre-grated bag of cheese. Those cheeses have a coating on them so the cheese doesn't clump in the bag but it doesn't melt as smoothly.
FAQ
You can store these shells in a container with a tight fitting lid, in your fridge.
You can freeze the stuffed shells after they've been prepared. Put them in a tinfoil baking dish covered twice with freezer heavy duty foil. When you want to heat up the stuffed shells you can go straight to the oven but bake them at 350 until cooked or put them in the fridge first to that a bit and then bake.
It will taste different. This recipe wasn't written for a container of the fake parmesan.
Stuffed Shells With Pumpkin Cream Sauce
These rich and creamy stuffed shells with pumpkin cream sauce is total comfort food. The pasta shells are filled with mozzarella, ricotta and parmigiano reggiano cheeses. This recipe brings your favorite Italian dinner mixed with pumpkin fall flavors.
Ingredients
- 26 jumbo shells
Filling
- ¾ c parmigiano reggiano, grated
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 12 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¾ tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt
- Pepper
Pumpkin Cream Sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp nutmeg
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ c half and half
- ¾ c parmigiano reggiano, grated
- 1 ½ tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Boil the jumbo shells in salted water until al dente, drain and cool.
- Meanwhile make the pumpkin sauce.
- In a large saute pan, over low heat, melt the butter and add the minced garlic, stirring for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the nutmeg for an additional minute.
- Whisk in the pumpkin puree, half and half, parmigiano reggiano, minced rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Mix together the all of the filling ingredients in a bowl. Fill each of the shells and place them seem up in the pumpkin sauce.
- Top with extra mozzarella cheese (optional).
- Bake for 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. The sauce will be runny at first, once it starts to cool it will thicken up.
Notes
Nutmeg. Nutmeg is the secret ingredient, don't skip it.
Pasta. Cook your pasta just until it is al dente.
Fresh Mozzarella. Opt for a block of mozzarella cheese and grate it yourself, don't buy the pre-grated bag of cheese. Those cheeses have a coating on them so the cheese doesn't clump in the bag but it doesn't melt as smoothly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 730Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 617mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 31g
This information comes from online calculators. Although moderncrumb.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Joanna
Hi! Would I be able to make the stuffed shells the night before and then bake right before the dinner party? Adding in the sauce as I’m about to bake.
Tara Moore
Hi Joanne, I don't see why not. Just cover with plastic wrap in the fridge so the pasta doesn't dry out. It should work just fine.
Noreen
I see the ingredients but how much do the ingredients???
blarney1952_1999@ yahoo.com. Thank you.
Tara Moore
Hi Noreen, please reference the recipe card near the bottom of the page for the ingredient amounts.