Here’s a great recipe for a meat-free but filling family favorite!

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning blend, to taste

2 garlic cloves, sliced or minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 – 28oz can whole tomatoes, pureed

1 – 12oz package jumbo shells

Salt for boiling water

1 - 15oz container of ricotta cheese

1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided in half

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

1 large egg

Instructions

Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add in diced onion.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened.

Add in sliced or minced garlic cloves and tomato paste.  Stir and cook for 1 more minute.

Pour in pureed tomatoes.  Stir everything together and lower the heat to a simmer.  Partially cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta shells and cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than package directions.  Drain and shock in a large bowl of ice water.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

In a large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella, half of the grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 large egg.

Coat a 9” x 13” baking dish with cooking spray.  Ladle in about 1 cup of the tomato sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.

Carefully drain and stuff each shell with a few tablespoons of the cheese filling.

Arrange stuffed shells in baking dish on top of tomato sauce.  Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the center of your preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, and set the oven to broil.  Watch carefully until the cheese just starts to go brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Garnish with additional parsley and portion some shells onto a plate. Ladle on some additional tomato sauce, and serve right away.