Baked Stuffed Shells with Cheese
Baked Stuffed Shells with Cheese is a classic Italian-American comfort food featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture, often blended with spinach or herbs, and baked in a rich tomato sauce. The dish is a staple of home-style Italian cooking, known for its hearty, satisfying nature and ability to feed a crowd.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is high in protein and fat due to the generous cheese filling, while the pasta provides a significant source of carbohydrates. A typical serving offers a good amount of calcium and protein, with a calorie range of approximately 400-500 kcal.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbs | 38 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
| Calcium | 350 mg |
| Potassium | 420 mg |
| Vitamin A | 150 mcg RAE |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 280 mg |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg |
| Magnesium | 35 mg |
| Zinc | 2.8 mg |
Per 4 large stuffed shells (about 280 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, this dish represents the hearty, family-style cooking of Italian-American cuisine, often served at gatherings. Nutritionally, the combination of cheese and tomato sauce provides a good source of calcium and lycopene, an antioxidant found in cooked tomatoes.
