BEST Sausage Stuffed Shells – Pellet Grill and Oven Recipe

Ready to take your stuffed shells to the next level? In this video, we make SAUSAGE-Stuffed Shells with Creamy Ricotta on the pellet grill — no boiling required! The pasta shells cook perfectly in a savory marinara sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Whether you’re a fan of smoked BBQ or Italian comfort food, this easy pellet grill recipe will become a family favorite. Perfect for backyard cooks and pellet grill enthusiasts!

Below I have also included how to make these sausage stuffed shells in the oven. Just be sure to go to the oven baked recipe.

How to make this in a pellet grill

Ingredients:

• 12 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
• 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup extra marinara sauce (total 2 cups)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup beef broth or water (for extra moisture)

Directions:

1. Before you get started, Preheat Your Pellet Grill to 325°F.
2. Prepare the Sausage or Beef Mixture: Brown the meat in a skillet, drain excess fat, and mix in 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce (saving 1/2 cup for later). Remove from heat.
3. In a bowl, add the ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and mix well.
4. Using a greased foil or cast-iron pan, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce.
5. Fill each uncooked pasta shell with the ricotta mixture and arrange them in the dish.
6. Spoon the meat mixture over the shells.
7. Add 1 cup of beef broth or water around the shells to help cook the pasta.
8. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top of each pasta shell. If you have any leftover meat mixture add it to the pan.
9. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
10. Place it in the pellet grill and cook for 50-60 minutes, or until the shells are tender.
11. Remove foil and let it cook uncovered for 10-15 more minutes to brown the cheese and absorb any excess liquid.
12. If you want a crispy top, increase the heat to 375°F for the last few minutes.

Rest and Serve: Let the shells rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

This method allows the pasta shells to absorb moisture from the marinara sauce and broth while slowly cooking in the pellet grill, resulting in tender, flavorful sausage stuffed shells without pre-boiling!

How to make this in your oven

Ingredients:

• 12 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 lb sausage or ground beef
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Before you start assembly, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain and cool.
3. Prepare the Sausage or Beef Mixture: Brown the meat in a skillet, drain excess fat, and mix in marinara sauce. Remove from heat.
4. In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
5. Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture, then place in a baking dish. Top each pasta shell with the meat mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. If you have any leftover meat mixture add it to the pan.
6. Place it in the pellet grill and cook for 25 minutes.
7. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

This method is faster than cooking in the pellet grill, but still resulting in tender, flavorful sausage stuffed shells!

ENJOY!

Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment

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