Stuffed Shells

​I already had a really good stuffed shell recipe but when I ran across this lower fat version from America's Test Kitchen, I decided it was worth giving it a try.  It definitely did not disappoint.  It was delicious and no one in my family even suspected that it was a reduced fat recipe.  

Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
6 ounces 93% lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil  (I used 1 t. dried basil)
Shells
12 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
32 saltine crackers 
2 1/2 cups fat free cottage cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced

​Pulse beef and soy sauce in food processor.   Transfer to a bowl.

​Add tomatoes to cuisinart and process until smooth.

​Heat oil in skillet and add onion.  Saute 5 minutes.

​Stir in beef mixture and cook until no longer pink.

​Add tomato paste, garlic and pepper flakes.  Cook 1 minute.

​Stir in tomatoes and salt.  Simmer until thickened.  (about 25 minutes.)  Stir in basil.

​Cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Drain shells on a towel lined baking sheet.

​Pulse crackers in food processor.

​Add cottage cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, parmesan, basil, garlic and 1/2 t. salt.  Process until smooth.

​Transfer to a ziploc bag, snip corner and pipe into shells.

​Spread 1/2 of meat sauce into two 8” square pans.

​Arrange filled shells over sauce.

​Spread remaining sauce over shells.

​Bake 45 minutes at 375.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 20 minutes.  

​We ate one pan of these shells for dinner and I put the other into my freezer to save for another night.  My husband said they had a little "kick" so I might need to scale back on the red pepper flakes but other than that - no complaints.  They were delicious.

Ciao!

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