Stuffed pasta bake bolognese
Comforting Italian-inspired pasta bake with rich bolognese and creamy cheese filling
A hearty stuffed pasta bake featuring large shells filled with ricotta and parmesan, nestled in a rich beef bolognese sauce and topped with melted mozzarella.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
large pasta shells (dry)
250 g
Bolognese sauce
olive oil
2 tbsp
onion (finely chopped)
1 piece
carrot (finely chopped)
1 piece
celery stick (finely chopped)
1 piece
garlic cloves (minced)
2 piece
beef mince
500 g
tomato passata
400 ml
tomato purée
2 tbsp
beef stock
200 ml
dried oregano
1 tsp
bay leaf
1 piece
Cheese filling
ricotta cheese
250 g
parmesan (grated)
50 g
mozzarella (grated)
150 g
egg (beaten)
1 piece
nutmeg (ground)
0.25 tsp
Instructions
Make the bolognese sauce
Heat oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until softened.
Brown the meat
Add the beef mince and cook until browned all over.
Simmer the sauce
Stir in the passata, tomato purée, stock, oregano and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until thickened.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain.
Prepare cheese filling
Mix ricotta, half the parmesan, egg, nutmeg and seasoning in a bowl.
Stuff the pasta
Fill each pasta shell with a spoonful of the cheese mixture.
Assemble the bake
Spread half the bolognese in a baking dish, arrange stuffed shells on top, then cover with remaining sauce.
Add cheese topping
Scatter remaining parmesan and mozzarella over the top.
Bake until golden
Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Original recipe
Storage
Best reheated in the oven to restore crispy cheese topping. Can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking.
Notes
• The bolognese sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance
• Any unused cheese filling can be used for stuffed vegetables
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