Mexican Stuffed Shells
30 Friday Sep 2011
Written by Maeghan in Beef, Freezer Friendly, Mexican, Pasta
I found this recipe last year and can’t believe I haven’t blogged about it yet. I’m always on the lookout for something that involves pasta (Alan can eat pasta 4 nights a week). When I saw this recipe my eyes lit up! Could it be that I had found something that involves pasta but yet ventures into a new cuisine. A break away from Italian and an entry into Mexican? I knew that Alan liked tacos so the flavors would be OK so I set out to try it. I was a little nervous when I was making this, I have to admit. Stuffed shells with taco seasoned beef? Taco seasoned beef with cream cheese (which we WILL NOT let Alan know is in here)?
My biggest worry was what if he liked it and I didn’t? What if I found a recipe that he enjoyed and would request and I couldn’t stomach? We already had enough of those! All of these worries were gone as we both took our first bites. The tastes are refreshingly new with the shells and how it’s prepared but still known enough to be considered a comfort food. It doesn’t take that long to prepare and is definitely a nice change up when winter foods start to get a little mundane.
Mexican Stuffed Shells
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning (or better yet use this Taco Seasoning!)
4 oz. cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce (This is a smooth, tomato based sauce found in the Mexican section)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
3 green onions
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Preheat oven to 350°.
In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed. Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.
Adapted from: A Pinch of This & That
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288 comments
September 30, 2011 at 2:29 pm
This looks so good. I love stuffed shells, and I love Mexican food. This looks like a good way to combine the two!
September 30, 2011 at 4:21 pm
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing. (I am SO hungry now…)
September 30, 2011 at 9:53 pm
This is such a good idea! My husband would flip over this one. Thanks for sharing it with us.
October 3, 2011 at 9:40 am
This sounds amazing
October 3, 2011 at 11:04 am
My DH sent this from google + … guess he wants me to try it 🙂 Looks and sounds devine!!
October 3, 2011 at 11:47 am
They’re funny, aren’t they? 🙂 Hope you both enjoy it!
October 4, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Made these last night using a mild salsa and a medium taco sauce: very tasty! The black olives and green onions are a must. After you top with the cheese, do you cover it with foil again for the remaining bake time, or not?
October 4, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Made these last night using a mild salsa and a medium taco sauce: very tasty! The black olives and green onions are a must. After you top with the cheese, do you cover it with foil again for the remaining bake time, or not?
October 4, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I’m so glad you liked it! I leave it uncovered for the remaining time to allow the cheese to get a nice, golden brown.
October 5, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Hi, these look great! I’m gonna make them tonight. I didn’t see when you used the monterey jack cheese? Is that in the beginning with the turkey mixture and cream cheese or at the end with the cheddar? Thanks!
October 5, 2011 at 4:08 pm
You use the Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend to top the shells at the end. Enjoy!
October 11, 2011 at 2:29 pm
made these the other day for football and they were DELICIOUS! everyone absolutely loved them and they went FAST! THANKS FOR THE AWESOME RECIPE!!! 🙂
October 12, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I went to the store last night to buy the ingredients for this recipe. It calls for 1 cup taco sauce. I couldn’t find taco sauce… can you tell me what brand you use so I can look specifically for that? Thanks! 🙂
October 12, 2011 at 4:51 pm
It’s right in the section with all of the tortilla’s, taco dinners, etc. Old El Paso, Taco Bell and several others have taco sauce. It’s not to be confused with salsa or enchilada sauce.
October 15, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Thank you…I will look harder. I found every other kind of sauce except for “taco sauce” hahaha
October 21, 2011 at 8:32 pm
ahh that looks so good! i just love how cheesy it is!!
October 27, 2011 at 11:43 am
I’ve made these for years, and the only additions that I make are to use chive and onion cream cheese and put corn chips on top of the cheese to give that extra crunch.
January 22, 2012 at 2:39 pm
I’ve also made these for quite a while. We call them taco turtles, because they look like turtles to little kids (I served them upside down for some fun). Every time I make them, I try something different; so we’ve made many different variations. Yummy every time!
October 27, 2011 at 1:44 pm
I made this over the weekend, and while there wasn’t much left, I sent it on the truck with hubby and it is fantastic as leftovers too! Going in the rotation!
October 27, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Just made these for dinner! They are so good!
October 30, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Making these for dinner tonight! These look DELICIOUS!
October 30, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Made them and there are a hit. We called them italican!
November 4, 2011 at 11:10 am
what would be a good substitute for the cream cheese….my husband hates the stuff but would love them other wise…any suggestions?:)
November 4, 2011 at 11:18 am
I’m not really sure because you’re using it in place of Ricotta to give the shells their own spin. The cream cheese melts so nicely in this meal, unlike a Ricotta or Cottage Cheese. My husband absolutely hates cream cheese and doesn’t even know it’s in this meal. He just thinks it’s a white cheese like mozzarella, so it may be worth a shot. As long as he doesn’t see the package!
March 3, 2012 at 9:28 am
Use the cream cheese!! He will never know it’s in there. My hubster hates cream cheese, sour cream etc.. and he’s eaten so much of that in recipes that he doesnt have a clue that I snuck that in there! Hide the packages ! LOL
November 20, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Like Maeghan has said he wont notice at all that the cream cheese is in with the meat. It just makes the meat slightly creamier, the taco seasoning will hide the flavor for the most part.
February 18, 2012 at 12:30 am
My husband doesn’t like cream cheese either …. or does he? I didn’t tell him it was in the dish and he didn’t notice. He LOVED this meal!
May 23, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Have you tried laughing cow cheese? It would work very well as a sub.
May 23, 2012 at 1:40 pm
People could try that, for sure! We’re good now in our house. My hubby is in on the secret now 🙂
April 26, 2013 at 6:13 pm
When I make my taco bake (layers of tortillas, seasoned meat, and cheese) I add queso to the meat to give it more of a sauciness and make it more of a filling. Although it isn’t exactly like cream cheese it is a cheese that could be substituted. 🙂
September 18, 2014 at 10:49 pm
My Husband and kiddos turned their noses up at the cream cheese, but I mixed some refried beans and salsa in with the meat and used a homemade spicy cheese sauce and corn chip crumbs on the outside and they were sold!
November 15, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Made these for dinner and they were awesome! Even my 2 year old loved them and she hates cheese! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
November 16, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I made this last night and my family loved it. My husband had three helpings (not standard for him). Easy to make and definitely will stay in my recipe box.
November 20, 2011 at 12:59 pm
I made these last night for my boyfriend. He absolutely loved them and had to stop himself from finishing all fifteen of them. This is a very tasty and easy meal to make. Great idea, thank you so much!
November 20, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Just made these for dinner.. they are AMAZING! We added a can of corn and a can of black beans and kept everything else the same… ran out of shells so next time we’ll double those! Easy and delicious!
January 30, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Did you add the corn and black beans to the meat?
November 27, 2011 at 12:48 am
Great idea! I’m definitely making this dinner SOON! The picture is making me really hungry, too. Haha
December 1, 2011 at 10:32 pm
This was really good! I added jalapenos and red pepper flakes to give it a little kick, Very filling!!
December 4, 2011 at 9:08 pm
I made these today and loved them! Thanks so much, this really hit the spot!
December 4, 2011 at 9:09 pm
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
December 7, 2011 at 11:09 am
My daughter made these for us yesterday evening! They were absolutely delicious on a cold week night. Can’t wait for leftovers tonight! Thank you! This will definitely become a family fave!
December 7, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Made these tonight and they were WONDERFUL! couldn’t find the low sodium seasoning and it came out way to salty…..but otherwise….yummy yummy yummy!
December 12, 2011 at 1:15 am
Hi, this looks soooo appetizing!!! I was wondering what kind of salsa to use?? Pace, homemade salsa, etc?? What kind did you use? Thank you
December 12, 2011 at 7:35 am
You can use any salsa that you like. Home made or store bought. Mild, medium, or hot. Whichever you’re accustomed to.
January 2, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Also good if you cook burger, chilli powder, cream cheese and pinto beans in frying pan then stuff shells with that. We love Mexican stuffed shells at our house
January 2, 2012 at 10:18 pm
These looked good so I made them. I found them labor intensive and not worth the effort.
As far as taste – they are OK but nothing special. I kept wishing I had made either an Italian dish or Nachos….but not this.
Conclusion – Nacho chips / tortillas are better for Mexican. Pasta is better for Italian. I will keep these things in their respective categories from now on.
January 9, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Sorry you didn’t care from them. You can’t win them all and everyone’s taste buds are different!
January 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm
We made these recently because the picture looks so tasty! They were great! Easy and a nice change from our normal tacos or enchiladas! The leftovers also were good, which is a plus. We will make them again! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
January 5, 2012 at 9:25 pm
You can freeze one of two ways. You can prepare it all the way and instead of baking just freeze it. Usually, when I freeze meals like this I buy those tinfoil pans with the covers.
I also will freeze half of the filling (since I make a few batches together) in a Ziploc bag and then whenever I’m ready I can take it out and stuff the shells and go from there.
Hope this helps! One of these days, I’m going to have a few posts on freezing. I do it often and when i had my daughter it was a blessing! I think these very shells were actually from a freezer batch!
April 27, 2012 at 1:57 pm
When reheating from frozen, what time and temperature do you use? Thanks!!
April 27, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Same time and temperature. Just make sure when freezing that the shells are covered with sauce so they don’t get freezer burned. I let it defrost I. The refrigerator for a bit before hand so the shells soften up.
January 7, 2012 at 9:09 pm
We had these tonight and they were amazing. The only thing I changed was to use homemade taco seasoning and enchilada sauce. Thanks for the recipe.
January 7, 2012 at 9:12 pm
I’m so glad you liked it! I’m glad you commented on the homemade taco seasoning because it made me look at the post and see that I never included the link to my own taco seasoning! Homemade is definitely the way to go!
January 7, 2012 at 9:15 pm
I’m thinking you would do it just like lasagna. Line your baking dish with foil, fill with the recipe and freeze. Once it’s completely frozen, take it out of the baking dish and wrap in plastic wrap or put in a zippy bag (works well with the 8×8 pans). Put it back in the freezer until ready to use.
Transfer back into the baking dish to thaw. Bake as directed in the recipe.
January 8, 2012 at 2:23 pm
what is taco sauce? this looks really good
January 8, 2012 at 3:34 pm
You can find taco sauce in the Mexican section of your grocery store. It is similar to enchilada sauce.
January 15, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I know my whole family is going to love it!
January 16, 2012 at 9:13 pm
So gotta try this.
January 21, 2012 at 6:34 pm
I make a version of this adding refried beans to the meat mixture, cheddar cheese instead of cream cheese & I add a little enchilada sauce. You can imagine the versatility of this recipe. Kids hate refried beans and they go undetected here! You could also spread on lasagna noodles & roll up. Make this, you won’t be disappointed!!!
January 22, 2012 at 9:36 pm
I made these tonight… so good!!!! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
January 24, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Made these tonight, everyone enjoyed them!! And I have 3 picky kids! Thanks!
January 25, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Cant wait to make this
January 26, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Just a question that is probably very silly…but what is taco sauce? I think this is great and have almost all ingredients but that one… any suggestions?
January 26, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Taco Sauce can be found by tacos, enchilada sauce, etc. There are a few recipes online to make your own, also.
January 26, 2012 at 3:55 pm
I recently made this and they are amazing!!! Just looking at the picture makes me hungry. Thanks for sharing!
January 29, 2012 at 8:17 pm
We had taco bell packets. Tried some with fire, mild, and verde. Winner was verde sauce. Enjoyed this. Thanks.
January 30, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Found this recipe via Pinterest and made these shells last night. Followed tips from your commenters and added 1 cup frozen corn and 1 can low sodium black beans (drained). Also used a mix of turkey and beef (1.5 lbs total). This made a enough to stuff 36 shells. I prepped half for freezer and baked the other off for dinner.
My husband is a picky and light eater, but he ate FOUR servings of this. Unheard of! He just couldn’t get enough. And my four-year-old who cries when we have tacos ate this willingly with only a minor complaint about spice. I loved it, too. Great family-friendly recipe.
January 30, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Oh, and for the sauce I used 2 cups of salsa with one 8 oz can of tomato sauce + 2 tsp homemade taco seasoning & pureed it all with my immersion blender.
January 30, 2012 at 12:39 pm
That is a great substitution! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the meal. What’s best is there is plenty leftover!
January 30, 2012 at 9:33 pm
I too found this recipe on Pintrest. These were just awesome! Made just as directed and turned out perfect. Thank You for the recipe Maeghan!
January 31, 2012 at 4:18 am
I would love to make this as i LOVE LOVE pasta and mexican!! but I am recently a vegetarian.. do you have any suggestions for alternatives to the taco meat!?!
January 31, 2012 at 2:04 pm
You can use tofu crumbles…I use it in my spaghetti sometimes and no one can tell the difference…
March 20, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Boca Burgers and Morning Star has a vegetarian version of ground beef that is excellent to use!
March 26, 2012 at 9:44 am
You could also sub beans for meat. We do that a lot at our house.
June 14, 2012 at 11:12 am
I’ve made these shells a few times, and recently started making them with shredded chicken (sous vide)– last night I made them again, but my vegetarian friend came by. I stuffed ~10 with some of this mixture wit some cream cheese melted into it. He LOVED it, and devoured them all! http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/southwestern_calico_corn.html
February 3, 2012 at 2:32 pm
These look really yummy and easy to make. Can’t wait to give them a try….
February 4, 2012 at 9:56 am
Sounds great! I only wish you had the nutritional information posted…
February 5, 2012 at 12:36 am
Found on Pinterest, really wasn’t feeling another “taco night” so tried this instead with a big side salad. Loved & the BF loved too! Only differences: The filling turned out 20 shells for me, and I only used half a 2c bag of shredded “Mexican Mix” cheese, and about of 1c of Med. Salsa. Its just the two of us, so next time I’ll probably freeze 1/2 the recipe prior to baking, and It’ll still be enough for dinner and lunch leftovers. A little labor intensive but hey.. 10$ an it made 2 dinners and 2 lunches for 2 people…awesome!! Thanks for sharing this!!!
February 7, 2012 at 11:16 pm
I’m going to make these tomorrow, any ideas for sides???
February 8, 2012 at 8:04 am
This is such a hearty meal we skip sides. I wouldn’t want anything more than a salad!
February 9, 2012 at 11:04 am
Made these last night they are sooooo yummy!!!
February 9, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I also found you on Pintrest (yay Pintrest) I cannot wait to try this. I would also add the corn and maybe some black beans or refried beans. Looks so yummy. I am always looking for a recipe for ground beef that is not tacos or meatloaf for my husband. And I could easily use ground turkey which I prefer. Thank you!
February 16, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Just made these!! Delicious!!
February 16, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Also came here via Pinterest! These were delicious! I actually can’t wait to make the filling again and use it as enchilada sauce. I’m from Austin, Texas where this is more like the Tex-Mex sauce I’m used to rather than the canned stuff.
February 17, 2012 at 6:18 am
going to try look good
February 18, 2012 at 12:11 am
Thank you so much for this recipe!! We la la loved it! My boyfriend went in for seconds and couldn’t stop saying mmmm!! He also listed it as top 3 things that I have cooked lol!! I sprinkled it with a little parm at the end and also had green salsa for a topping which was a a hit!
February 18, 2012 at 12:19 am
I also found on pinterest!! Love!! And you definately don’t need sides!! This is so filling and delish!
February 18, 2012 at 1:13 am
Thanks to Pinterest we found this and had them for dinner tonight…and now the thanks go to you for sharing such a tasty, but quick and easy recipe! LOVED IT! Can’t wait to try some of the variations with corn, beans, etc.
February 19, 2012 at 2:49 pm
What is the difference in taco sauce and salsa?
February 19, 2012 at 3:05 pm
You can find taco sauce in the Mexican section of your grocery store. It is similar to enchilada sauce and not chunky like salsa.
February 19, 2012 at 9:52 pm
These were awesome…
February 21, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I wrote this recipe in the spring of1996 for Woman’s Day Magazine. I can’t remember if it was in the March, April or May issue, but it is there. Someone added in the cream cheese–but still awesome to see it circulating again and so many people enjoying it.
February 21, 2012 at 3:31 pm
This was easy & yummy!!! I didn’t hv shells so I cooked lasagna noodles n rolled the meat stuffing inside … it made 10 total. The meat stuffing was somewhat dry… I didn’t hv taco sauce so I used enchilada sauce (1/2 can on top). This will def be repeated!!! Thanks for recipe!!!
February 21, 2012 at 9:54 pm
Made these… all gone! Amazing!
February 23, 2012 at 9:36 pm
I found your recipe on Pinterest, I just made these tonight. My kids loved them & so did I! Thank you for such a great dinner recipe!
~Amanda
May 28, 2013 at 5:35 pm
Looks real good going to make for my grandson’s graduation .
February 24, 2012 at 8:58 am
This looks amazing and I’m definitely trying these tonight, thanks! How many would this recipe normally feed? I need enough for 5.
February 24, 2012 at 9:01 am
Thank you! This will definitely serve 5! I’d say it would serve 8. I usually freeze half of the recipe and my husband and I still eat leftover for the next day or so.
February 25, 2012 at 10:21 am
Thanks for the recipe! I’m going to try it this week with shredded chicken instead of ground beef!
March 8, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Yum I bet it’s just as great with shredded chicken, duh! Why didn’t I think of that?! 🙂 Great suggestion.
February 25, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Made this for tonight’s dinner. So looking forward to it. I used the homemade taco seasoning, added a pinch of salt, juice of a small lime and a can of black beans (drained) to the meat after it was browned. Also, cooked the shells just till al dente. I think this will be a big hit served with sour cream, more salsa, cilantro and green onions. YUM! Thanks for the recipe!
February 26, 2012 at 6:41 pm
Looks good, going to try this perhaps this week. One question,,, did he like it?
February 26, 2012 at 6:59 pm
He loved it! I haven’t found many who don’t 🙂
February 28, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Great.. Making it tomorrow night.
February 27, 2012 at 12:48 am
made this tonight! so freakin’ good, even my daughter who is the pickiest thing ever ate it. minus the sauce and cheese lol but if you knew here that’s saying A LOT!!! she loved the meat…..we loved it all!! thanks!
February 27, 2012 at 7:31 am
I’m so glad everyone liked it!
February 27, 2012 at 12:32 pm
I up the nutrition value..cut the ground beef add diced sweet potato and drained black beans
February 27, 2012 at 11:40 pm
My picky eaters LOVED it! I’ll definitely do this one again.
February 28, 2012 at 7:38 pm
I have made this recipe twice! It’s delicious. Thanks! I keep forgetting to add beans. Maybe next time I will remember.
February 29, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Looks so yummy! Thanks to pinterest, I found it:)
February 29, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Just curious do you happen to know how many calories are in a serving
February 29, 2012 at 3:22 pm
No. This is by no means a low cal meal. You can go through each ingredient and figure out your calories that way since most is pre-packaged.
March 1, 2012 at 10:30 pm
My daughter made this and told me how good it is. I make my own salsa and decided to try this tonight. The only thing I did different is that I’m not big on cheddar cheese. I usually use a Fiesta blend shredded cheese. I must say, I was a little worried, what with the salsa, taco seasoning and taco sauce that it would be a little overpowering. But, it was delicious!!! I could barely make it through the 4th shell it is that filling. So, I have 3 more meals there and I will definitely make this again!
March 2, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Made these the other night for the family… Needless to say they were a huge hit! I was able to stuff about 20 shells though, so not sure if I didn’t stuff them enough or what, but they seemed to come out perfectly. I’m thinking about adding some corn and/or black beans to the meat mixture for an added twist!
March 4, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Made this today..very good!
March 5, 2012 at 9:42 pm
This is a wonderful recipe. I mixed some Rotele with Salsa to give it a kick, and it was quite a hit in our house.
March 6, 2012 at 11:16 am
FANTASTIC. Made last night. Hubby is like the Princess & the Pea with cream cheese though so I’m trying to figure out another “binder” for the meat that would work as well. I used Kraft Mexican style Taco seasoned cheese and it was amazing. Used black olives, green onions, jalapenos (pickled/jarred) and sour cream as toppings. DELISH.
March 6, 2012 at 4:55 pm
I’m glad you liked it. What’s your blogs address? I’d love to see!
March 6, 2012 at 8:15 pm
This turned out great! Thanks for such a tasty recipe! 🙂
March 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm
How many servings does this make ?
March 7, 2012 at 8:32 pm
I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it!! Even my three super picky kids! I will be making this again!
March 8, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Oh my goodness this was DELICIOUS! I will definitely make it again-and I there are so many possibilities for variations.
*I used only 1/2 pound of ground beef (not a big meat eater), and filled it out instead with chopped onion and green pepper (love me some veggies!).
*I didn’t have taco sauce so I used enchilada sauce.
*Added a layer of cilantro to the top when I added the cheese…(and used only 1 cup of cheese rather than 2 for a few less calories).
YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe!
March 9, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Absolutely delicious! We just loved this dish and my husband swears that it is better the next after the flavors have had a chance to blend. This will be a new regular at our house……
March 10, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Made this for dinner, it was awsome, I added sour cream on top when serving and it was yummy!
March 13, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Does anyone know the caloric intake per serving ?
March 14, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Served these tonight and will be making them again, a definite keeper. I didn’t read the recipe carefully enough and used the whole box of shells and wondered why I had half of them left. Next time I will just double the filling and have plenty for leftovers.
March 15, 2012 at 6:33 pm
I think I would use enchilada sauce rather than salsa…could also use refried beans alone or in addition to the meat filling…Thanks for the idea!
March 16, 2012 at 1:31 am
Wonderful!! Husband and sons happily ate 36 stuffed shells! I thouht there was going to be two meals but I made the mistake of leaving the second casserole dish in plain sight and it was demolished. I did double the meat filling and really stuffed each shell. I added additional spice (garlic, onion, and chili powder and some pepper) in addition to adding some green salsa verde to the filling. The salsa verde gave it a kick and took away some of the “cream cheese” taste since my husband is not a fan. A winner!! Thanks!!
March 16, 2012 at 11:47 pm
I found this recipe through Pinterest as well. Cooked it tonight following your directions exactly. Had company over and it was a hit! Thank you very much.
March 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Here’s the recipe they asked for:)
March 25, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Loved this recipe!!!! I used ground turkey and low fat cheeses and it was still delish. I didn’t tell my boyfriend about the cream cheese until he had two servings. Next time I use to make double since I sent the left overs home with him.
March 30, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I made this last night, substituting Meatless Crumbles for the beef to make it vegetarian. Loved it! So good! Thanks for the great recipe!
March 30, 2012 at 2:08 pm
My aunt made these and saved a few for me to try and they were awesome. My daughters and hubby liked them to. I was going to make them this weekend with some left over taco meat I have but am thinking there won’t be enough. I like the idea of making extra meat and freezing. Thanks for the recipe.
April 1, 2012 at 10:55 am
I make these all the time. They r wonderfull. All five of my kids love them!
April 1, 2012 at 11:03 pm
These look so good.I use to make something like this.I’ll have to try these.Just found this website.I am Love it.Thanks.Cindy in Fla
April 3, 2012 at 9:42 am
I found this recipe through Pinterest, and tried it last night. These stuffed shells were delicious! My husband ate six of them! I also packaged up half of the filling mixture and stuck it in the freezer. Thanks for a great addition to my recipe book!
Oh, and I echo other commenters’ sentiments about the cream cheese–you couldn’t even taste it! It just made the filling creamier and more tasty!
April 4, 2012 at 9:23 pm
My family LOVED these. I made adjustments or our taste but this recipe has made the rotation. Thanks
April 5, 2012 at 11:12 am
thank you so much! this is wonderful and my (new!) husband has requested it several times already 🙂
April 5, 2012 at 11:14 am
Yay! Congratulations on your marriage too!
April 9, 2012 at 11:50 pm
So easy! So good!
April 14, 2012 at 11:47 am
I’m a newbie at cooking so Iwhen you say “salsa” what kind?!?! CONFUSED!!
April 14, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Your standard salsa – mild, medium, or hot that you dip chips in is fine. You can find that and the taco sauce in the Mexican aisle in your grocery store.
April 14, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Hi, I followed you over from Pinterest and would like to invite you to share this deliciousness, and any other posts, on my link party at http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Michelle
April 17, 2012 at 6:09 pm
i wonder whats the sides will go good with this entree?
April 22, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I made black np beans with onion, lime juice and cilantro.
April 18, 2012 at 11:24 am
Made this last night. Super easy and delicious! I used 1/2 lb of ground beef & 2 oz of cream cheese and was still able to fill 16 jumbo shells.
April 18, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Made these tonight, used ground turkey instead. DELICIOUS.
April 20, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Thanks for the great recipe! Making these tonight using enchilada sauce (instead of taco sauce) and ground turkey.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CALORIE COUNTS:
The iphone app “LOSE IT!” contains a recipe builder and a barcode scanner. When I made it, I got 44 shells (I had more meat) and it came out to 87 cals per shell. Of course, different ingredients and brands have different calorie counts.
If you don’t have an iPhone, try LoseIt.com or LiveStrong.com to build recipes. They’re both great resources for counting calories.
I’m dieting and just eating a few less shells with a side salad that has a cilantro lime vinagarette. YUMMY!
April 20, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Yes! I also use Myfitnesspal that has a bar-code scanner and enters everything in for you.
April 23, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Found these on pinterest and I’ve made these twice in 3 weeks. It is now a mandatory request in my house. I adjusted the recipe to 2lbs of ground turkey and still only used 1 box of shells. Whatever shells broke apart, I just threw in the baking pan and piled any leftover meat on them “unstuffed shells”. We also love cheese, so we used a bunch. My sister in law who is a whole 5ft, 100 lbs. And lactose intolerant devoured 8…yes 8 of these,and took the leftovers for lunch. Thanks so much, you’ve given my family a new fav meal.
April 24, 2012 at 10:42 am
Made these last night and they were fantastic! Even my picky grandson liked them! And I am not a fan of cream cheese but I wouldn’t make these any other way! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
April 24, 2012 at 9:09 pm
I made these about a month ago and they were a hit for me, hubby, mother in law & our 4 year old niece! the only thing i really change is that i just use either mexican or taco blend cheese. Have a batch in the oven right now!! Cant wait for dinner!
April 24, 2012 at 9:09 pm
Also wanted to say … thank you so much for this recipe! I am not a good cook at all, my hubby is the cook – but I successfully have made these twice! 🙂
April 24, 2012 at 9:27 pm
I’m so glad to hear! It’s also nice to have a husband who likes to cook too 🙂
April 25, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Just made these – only difference I added a can of black beans into the meat – they were great! My husband ate them up as well. Even my 4 year old ate 3 bites (she eats nothing!) These will go on my regular meal rotation..
April 29, 2012 at 6:10 pm
yum yum yum! my hubby told me to make them again and my kids gobbled them up! thanks for a great recipe!
April 30, 2012 at 10:06 pm
i’ve been making these for years, but never with the cream cheese. anyone that does not want to make it with the cream cheese, try adding refried beans straight to the taco meat mixture and add a little bit more taco seasoning.
love the recipe!
May 4, 2012 at 6:06 am
I can’t even imagine wondering if I would like it, or if my husband would. That looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try it.
May 5, 2012 at 6:52 pm
I’m making these tonight, but I’m using chorizo instead of ground beef. 😀 Therefore, I don’t have to use taco seasoning since the chorizo has plenty of wonderful flavor already.
May 7, 2012 at 9:52 pm
I made this for my parents tonight! It was delicious! My grocery store was out of the shells.. So I used manicotti but it was great! Thanks for sharing!
May 8, 2012 at 6:01 am
I made these last night, and used your taco seasoning recipe as well. Big hit with hubby and the boys! I served them with refried beans & cheese on the side. Next time I think I would add a small salad, too. Thanks for the recipe! It’s going in the “favorites” file.
May 8, 2012 at 1:38 pm
This was awesome I made it today, house smelled so good dinner seemed to far. Lol thank you so much for sharing.
May 10, 2012 at 3:54 pm
I hate ground beef, onions, cream cheese, and mexican food, BUT I decided to suprise my mexican loving, 100% italian husband, with these and they were GREAT!!! They are faster to make than meatloaf and taste much better. Dare I say, they are better second day? yum!
May 13, 2012 at 8:36 pm
I made these a week or so ago and my husband LOVED them he promptly told me “honey, these can be on the menu every week!” I asked him this morning, “babe do you want the Mexican stuff..” “YES!” After 9 years of marriage I found the way to his stomach :)I thank you!
May 13, 2012 at 8:47 pm
Thanks for sharing, I love stories like that!
May 28, 2012 at 2:06 pm
My brother and dad felt the same way
May 28, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Great! I love making a double batch and sticking one in the freezer. If you have company you really don’t have to do anything and you still get compliments 🙂
May 14, 2012 at 7:13 pm
These are amazing. Quite possibly the most delicious thing I have ever tasted!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
May 16, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Making these right now but with a slight variation. I added fresh onion, garlic, tomatoes, and jalapenos to the meat mixture. I tasted the mixture and it’s amazing! I can’t for them to come out of the oven!
May 19, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Made these for dinner tonight…..OMG YUMMY!!!! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
May 21, 2012 at 12:48 pm
I made these for Dinner for my husband last night, they were a great sucess!!! thanks for the amazing recipe 🙂
May 23, 2012 at 12:26 am
I am vegan, and when I saw this picture I knew I had to recreate these. I did alter it quite a bit, but I thank you for the inspiration! They were delicious.
http://prettymuchnuts.blogspot.com/2012/05/vegan-mexican-stuffed-shells.html
May 23, 2012 at 4:27 pm
How many shells would you make for 18 people?
May 23, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I would triple the recipe, unless there are a bunch men, then you may want to quadruple it!
May 28, 2012 at 2:05 pm
I made these for my dad and brother and they said I outdid myself…the only thing I added was a small can of chopped green chile to the meat mixture…these were a huge hit and great for leftovers even though they did not last too long with everyone fighting over them
May 31, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Our local grocery store doesn’t always carry the shells (the joy of living in the country) and same with my sister so I got manicotti as a substition for tonight. I’m expecting a similar if not the same result. I’ve been telling my husband for two months I was going to make this and his travels finally allow for it. I prepared it all (joys of napping baby) and can’t wait to pop them in the oven in a couple of hours 🙂
May 31, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Hope you enjoy! Should work just fine. I actually always make my “manicotti” recipe in jumbo shells! 🙂
May 31, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Thanks for posting this awesome recipe. I made these for a Cinco de Mayo party earlier this month. They were a HUGE hit! I had some sliced Habanero & Jalapeno cheese so I cut up a few slices & added it to the meat mixture. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. Quick, easy, and oh so good! Can’t wait to make them again.
June 1, 2012 at 2:01 am
Reblogged this on Texas Tudors's Blog and commented:
Yum, nice recipe, that I plan to try.
June 2, 2012 at 8:01 am
Yum yum!! Looks really good – I can tell by the ingredient list alone that everyone in my home will love these! Thanks for sharing!!
June 2, 2012 at 10:44 pm
I have something similar, it uses picante sauce, french fried onions, green chilies, pasta shells, and Monterey jack cheese. We love it!
June 2, 2012 at 11:01 pm
I make something similar. Mine calls for picante sauce, ground beef, green chilies, Monterey Jack cheese, Durkee French fried onions, and the pasta shekels. We love it!
June 6, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Awsome blog! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also
June 10, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Yum, these look so delicious! I found this recipe on Pinterest and would love to invite you to share this, and any other posts, at my Creative Thursday Link Party (open through Monday each week) at http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Have a great week.
Michelle
June 10, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Great blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also
June 11, 2012 at 11:06 am
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!
June 11, 2012 at 3:25 pm
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
June 11, 2012 at 8:14 pm
I have these in the oven right now. Can’t wait to eat them. Couldn’t follow the recipe because I didn’t have all the right ingredients – but it is called improvising. Used queso and rotels for the salsa. Tasted them as I put them in the oven and yum yum yum.
June 14, 2012 at 8:55 am
We made these two nights ago and it was amazing!! Didn’t have jumbo shells so we used an italian trio and it was soooo yummy!!!
June 17, 2012 at 3:38 pm
YIKES!! This was made for me for Mother’s Day this year and I have to say that I was in absolute HEAVEN it was soooo good! I have made Italian stuffed shells for 20 yrs but I am from Texas and love mexican food and these are to die for!!! Now part of our family……i love you for this…..Joanna
June 17, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I’m so glad you liked them and that someone made them for you for Mother’s Day! I’m sure, being in Texas, you’ll come up with some great variations!
June 19, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Today was my second time making these. They are SO delicious!!! I could eat the whole batch myself. Lol
We had a similar recipe for stuffed Mexican shells, but it was more time consuming and not nearly as good. My husband and I agree, this one is way better!!
Thanks!
June 19, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Glad you still like them! I get worried sometimes when you love something the first time whether it will live up to the first time!
June 21, 2012 at 10:10 am
My husband and I loved this! It got our own creative juices flowing, so we decided to concoct our own more traditional Italian take on this recipe! We’ll share!! http://tmblr.co/ZV-wOvNqLy6Y
June 26, 2012 at 6:30 pm
How would u describe this dish?
June 27, 2012 at 1:32 pm
I am commenting again, have made these three times ,once with beef twice ground chicken adding black beans each time LOVE these. My only problem is I always forget to double it and freeze a second batch lol. My question is on the taco seasoning actually, do you add any cornstarch to thicken? How much? I want to make it but worried it would not thicken like the packages.
June 27, 2012 at 1:40 pm
I always forget I need to double this batch when I make it to since most of my stuffed shell recipes actually make enough for two batches! The taco seasoning is the same as the one in the package, sans MSG. There is no cornstarch needed! I make it all of the time. I’m actually working on making my own taco sauce so I wont have to buy a jar of that either. Get rid of all of the packages! 🙂
June 28, 2012 at 10:19 am
Loved this!! As did my family!! Definitely have to double batch this!! I have picky eaters and there isn’t one complaint at the dinner table with this one:-) Thanks!!
July 4, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Making them as we speak 😀 Our store didn’t have Jumbo shells so I’m using Manicotti instead. My son and I are anxiously awaiting. I love Mexican and Italian so it should be great!
July 11, 2012 at 4:09 pm
If I follow your recipe for the taco seasoning, how much should be used for this recipe? It just says “one package” but I’m not sure how much is typically in a package.
July 11, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Follow the recipe in the taco seasoning. The 2 Tbsp will make one packet
July 13, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Made this last night for my family and They loved it !!!! I did add onion and cilantro to the meat mixture as well as some coarsely chopped jalapeno for some heat and It was amazing. Thanks again for posting it !!!
July 17, 2012 at 7:15 am
I made this lastnight for me and my husband and it was amazing! followed the recipe exactly and this turned out to be one of our new favorites. Thank you for posting!
July 20, 2012 at 11:35 pm
I added diced tomatoes, onions, and zucchini to the filling to sneak in some veggies. Even my kiddos had seconds!
July 22, 2012 at 3:01 am
This looks so good, I cannot wait to try. We love Mexican and I am always looking for something new.
July 23, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Made these last week.. making them again tonight! AMAZING
July 23, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Winner! Winner! Pasta meets Mexican dinner! Thank you for a recipe that the entire family loves… even my younger, picky eaters. I used exactly 1.88lbs of 93% lean ground beef, doubled the cream cheese and 22 shells as it seemed I wouldn’t have enough to fill my 9 x 13 pan and I’m glad I did. It was exactly the right amount even though I don’t think I overstuffed the shells. Hmmm…. no one else had to do this? We paired this with cilantro-lime rice and a variety of garnishes including fresh diced tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, quacamole, and jalapenos. This dish will be in our regular rotation and next time I will make sure I have enough for a freezer meal.
July 25, 2012 at 11:39 pm
I made a version of this tonight, except I used:
20 oz Ground Lean Turkey with taco seasoning
24 oz jar salsa verde
1 jar green taco sauce (This is a smooth, tomatillo based sauce found in the Mexican section)with a little water added
August 13, 2012 at 9:23 am
Does anyone know if you could make a batch of these and freeze them? Just wondering how well they would taste after being frozen. Thanks!
August 13, 2012 at 9:25 am
These freeze beautifully. I usually always make a double batch, one for dinner and one for the freezer!
August 13, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Made these tonight they were very good!
August 22, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Wher dos the monteray jack chese go in? Am curis so am going to tri it out.
August 22, 2012 at 7:41 pm
See the last section of the directions. It goes on towards the end of baking.
August 22, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Had it to night and it was vary good. Might tri a diff taco sac on top thu. My son mouth was on fire.
August 24, 2012 at 7:40 pm
These were fantastic!! I froze them ahead of time. Thanks for sharing!
August 29, 2012 at 1:47 pm
I made these last night and my husband said they were the best thing I’ve ever made. He even ate a couple for breakfast! He’s already devised an Italian version for me to try making next. Thank you!!
August 29, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Do you think this dish would freeze well? I name it about every other week. We LOVE it. It would be nice to premake for my husband to throw in the oven on the nights I’m not home.
August 30, 2012 at 10:02 am
Yes! I have these in my “Freezer Friendly” section as well and many others have asked. I usually make a double batch, one for dinner and one for the freezer!
September 9, 2012 at 8:29 pm
I just made these tonight and they were amazing!!
September 9, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Awesome recipe! Love it! Making it again!
September 14, 2012 at 11:25 am
I found this recipe on pinterest and oh my word it was delish. I also just blogged about it because I loved it so much. Come by and check it out when you have time. Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe.
September 23, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Just made this for dinner for the hubby. Of course he loved it and like some of the other hubbies mentioned above, asked that it be added to the regular rotation. Awesome recipe.
September 29, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Do you know the nutrition facts on these? They look delicious. Trying to figure out Weight Watchers points. 🙂
September 29, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Sorry, no. You would have to go on each ingredient package that you use.
September 30, 2012 at 7:36 pm
These were sooo good! I prefer to use shredded chicken instead of the ground beef- or you could do half & half! 🙂
October 8, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Sounds like a wonderful recipe that ll have to try. Also just so you know, you can make taco sauce by adding anywhere between 1/2 to a whole packet of taco seasoning mix to an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. Add a little at a time and taste it since it can get too salty quickly. In addition, you can substitute Greek yogurt for the cream cheese and the sour cream and its higher in protein although I’m going to try it with the cream cheese first. Sounds really yummy.
October 8, 2012 at 12:21 pm
That is great to know about the taco sauce. I try to make my own everything so using my DIY seasoning and canned sauce will be so much better!
October 21, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Made this tonight for dinner and it was awesome! My husband and kids LOVED it!!!
October 21, 2012 at 10:41 pm
I made this recipe tonight. I started out at the local Kroger. I had all my ingredients except for the jumbo shells. When I came upon the pasta aisle, I realized that they were no where to be found so I opted to use manicotti instead. I cut the manicotti open and made an enchilada of sorts. My boyfriend and his roomie really enjoyed the dish! I thought it was really great and really easy. I also did 6 oz of cream cheese but I am such a sucker for that stuff. Great recipe! Will make again very soon!
November 14, 2012 at 12:34 am
Trying thus tonight. Made a black bean and corn mixture to add to theo salsa to bake it in instead of just salsa
November 14, 2012 at 2:53 am
THESE ARE AMAZJNGGGGG…ACTUALLY HAVING THEM FOR DINNER TOMORROW
November 14, 2012 at 2:54 am
I meant to say amazing
November 15, 2012 at 5:14 pm
I made this a week ago and my husband is still gushing over how much he loved it. I found it on Pinterest and it’s by far the best recipe I have found there so far.
November 15, 2012 at 5:23 pm
I’m glad to hear that!
November 16, 2012 at 8:05 pm
A family of 7, 5 of which are children, and EVERYONE loves it That NEVER happens! TIP – 3 lbs of meat does NOT fill 45 shells, I only got 34 out of the meat!
November 16, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Now those are good results!
February 8, 2013 at 4:35 pm
I personally feel that this one is the best work from you.
February 17, 2013 at 10:16 pm
Turned out better than expected but took awhile to get into the oven. . Made a double recipe tonight. Wanted leftovers. Still fed six people with three of us set for lunch tomorrow. Served with Mexican rice on the side and margaritas. Added black beans, onion, and corn to meat like others had suggested. Next time I’ll also add diced green chilies. Great!
April 4, 2013 at 4:21 pm
How well do these freeze? If they do, do you do it before or after baking?
April 4, 2013 at 8:04 pm
These freeze very well! As I have stated in previous comments, I assemble them and then freeze. I do not bake first.
April 26, 2013 at 6:18 pm
I make a similar version of this except it is with elbow macaroni and no salsa (my husband does not like onions AT ALL) or taco sauce. He said it is like Hamburger Helper, but better because it’s homemade (and ya know my kids will eat it). heh
May 20, 2013 at 7:40 pm
these were great used ground turkey and homemade salsa
May 30, 2013 at 1:50 am
I cheated and wanted a quick meal, so used a box of medium shells…mixed it all together.including onions…..baked the usual way.I then removed the foil and added cheese like original directions!!!! Wow it was so delicious and rated a 10…. In a scale of 1-10 It’s a keeper!!!!
June 6, 2013 at 10:19 am
I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest, and decided to give it a try. 2 kids didn’t care for it (a bit spicy for them), but the oldest and I ate them and raved about how delicious they were and then ate them some more! They were so easy to make (a huge plus in my book), and I plan on making them many more times in the future, Thank you!
July 14, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Would I just leave the cheese off if I was doing this as av freezer meal?
July 14, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Yup!
July 15, 2013 at 8:09 pm
I made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful! I am vegetarian, so I used Morningstar crumbles plus a drained can of black beans instead of the beef. I sauteed onion with the crumbles/beans and used my homemade taco seasoning. I split the recipe and baked half for tonight and have the other half in the freezer. Great recipe – so easy and delicious! Thanks!
July 15, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Meant to add – with my using crumbles + black beans, I was able to make 22 shells with this recipe rather than 14-16. Bonus!
July 15, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Awesome! I usually can get a lot more shells out of it too which is perfect for freezing! I’m glad you adapted this and got to enjoy it!
July 21, 2013 at 4:18 pm
This recipe has become a staple in my kitchen since my 3 yo. son is SO PICKY. I found a heat-free chili powder to make the taco seasoning, and I use ground chicken instead of beef. I keep it in the freezer in tiny portions for him. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!
July 23, 2013 at 10:19 am
Made this last night – with the addition of a can of black beans….SOO good! My boyfriend love it had 2 helpings! Will def be making this more often it’s a good change from regular old stuffed shells 🙂
July 27, 2013 at 4:00 am
I made these little gems for supper tonight and they were soooo good! Will be making them often, maybe using chicken next time with a sour cream/cream cheese sauce. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
July 30, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Made these for dinner and they are cooling on the counter for dh to come home- I made my own taco sauce(less sodium)and used spicy salsa on the bottom of the pan. They look and smell yummy!
October 15, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Made this last night and it was a hit, my son devoured it! He requested olives and sour cream as his topping….i added more chili powder and cayenne pepper for lil more spice. people are asking me for the recipe and i send them this link and I must say i am loving these recipes!!
October 15, 2013 at 4:47 pm
That’s great! I’m glad everyone is enjoying the recipe! They are on my menu soon, to get this baby moving! 🙂
December 22, 2013 at 7:11 pm
I’ve been making these almost weekly since I found this recipe on pinterest earlier this year. My 2 year absolutely loves them and asks for them weekly (the only other things he eats are PB&J, hotdogs and mac&cheese!). I went to make them tonight and realized I had no jumbo shells so I used medium shells and made it more like a casserole. I poured the salsa on the bottom, topped with medium shells, topped with meat mixture then topped with taco sauce. Tastes exactly the same with less of the mess! Kids loved it!
March 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm
These are just fantastic! Thank you. Our daughter made these over the holidays and had frozen them for a month before she reheated and served. Awesome.
March 10, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Can i make these in the early afternoon and just pop them in the oven at night?
March 10, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Absolutely. Just refrigerate until you’re ready!
May 26, 2014 at 6:21 pm
We love this recipe!! I make it all the time, but I use enchilada sauce instead of the taco sauce. My son absolutely loves it!! Thanks so much for recipe!!
June 3, 2014 at 7:27 pm
i am soooo looking forward to making these..i will try them with the cream cheese..i hate the stuff..but i will trust you..could i substitute mascarpone cheese????
June 3, 2014 at 8:37 pm
The mascarpone may not get the consistency just right. I’d try the cream cheese and then adjust if you don’t like it. But I promise that I’ve tried this with many who hated cream cheese and never minded it (granted, they had no clue at first!) A lot of readers have said the same thing. I hope you enjoy!
June 10, 2014 at 7:14 pm
Made these for dinner tonight and they were so good! I added green onions, cream cheese, refried beans and one cup cheese to the meet mixture and followed the rest as it was written. So good. Thank you 🙂
August 26, 2014 at 9:02 am
Made these last night and wasn’t sure if my husband would like them since new recipes usually aren’t a big hit. He didn’t like them he LOVED them!! We topped them with sour cream but will also add lettuce next time. This will definitely be added to our dinner rotation!!
September 3, 2014 at 2:51 pm
It was great I made it Sunday and we r having it tonight again …:)
October 18, 2014 at 3:22 pm
I have made these several times and we LOVE them. I have baby #3 on the way and I’m trying to stock up on some freezer meals. Do you think i could make and freeze these and just add the taco sauce and salsa when I’m ready to cook it?
October 19, 2014 at 9:32 am
Absolutely! I go as far as adding everything and freezing, even though most don’t top with cheese until you’re ready to bake. Thaw in the refrigerator the day you want to bake it and you’re good to go! Good luck with the next addition to your family!!!
January 16, 2015 at 3:13 pm
I just made these with a slightly healthier twist and they were still delicious! 🙂
http://purposefulproductions.blogspot.com/2015/01/mexican-stuffed-shells.html
January 30, 2015 at 5:40 pm
Saw this post yesterday and since we were going to the store today – will be making these in the next few days. Might add some corn and serve with a side of refried or black beans, with cheese and sour cream!
January 31, 2015 at 9:51 am
Sounds delicious! Hope you enjoy!
February 8, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Maeghan – made these tonight. Substituted our homemade salsa and did not use taco sauce. Used my own homemade taco seasoning. Garnished with green onions, black olives and sour cream. My husband loved them!! Me too! Dogs were very interested, but did not get any! Thanks again for a great recipe!
February 10, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Sounds delicious! Glad you all enjoyed them!
February 9, 2015 at 10:17 pm
why do you bake 30 min AFTER the shell is done, will it turn hard? I’m going to most definitely try it but wants to be sure?
February 10, 2015 at 2:59 pm
You need to bake the cheeses that are in the pasta, like any other baked pasta. The sauce you pour over top will keep the shell moist.
April 3, 2015 at 11:40 am
The only thing I do different is put salsa on the bottom before I lay the shells then pour the taco sauce over.sometimes I put refried beans in with the hamburger..regardless its a great recipe.
April 29, 2015 at 7:53 pm
Are these freezer friendly? If so what are the re heating directions. Thanks cant wait to try them
April 29, 2015 at 7:55 pm
Yes, they are under freezer friendly 🙂 Simply thaw and cook for a few minutes longer
June 11, 2015 at 1:47 pm
Wonderful recipe. Easy to follow. I made for a group of friends and everyone liked it. Was a hit.
July 17, 2015 at 4:14 pm
This is still one of my favorite recipes! I love it! I often make it to take meals to families who have had new babies, illness, etc. Everyone always asks for the recipe and say even their pickiest children ate it! Unfortunately, I can no longer make it for my own family because I can’t find gluten free jumbo shells. 🙁
July 19, 2015 at 8:59 am
Oh no! If you could find GF lasagna noodles you could do a lasagna adaptation of it?
September 13, 2015 at 3:20 pm
I’ve been making these for a couple of years now and they are my hubby’s favorite!
January 1, 2016 at 6:49 pm
I found your page about 6 years ago and I have been making this recipe for years! I do not like mexican, but love pasta. This was a wonderful compromise considering my husband loves mexican! I always get asked for this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
January 3, 2016 at 9:43 am
Thank you for writing and letting me know. I’m glad you still enjoy the recipe and hope you take a look around and find some others you might enjoy!
April 24, 2017 at 7:42 pm
I made this tonight for my boyfriend and I and we ate the whole dish! It was so good!
May 9, 2018 at 12:45 pm
If I want to freeze these to have once my baby arrives, at what step do I freeze them? And how do I store them in the freezer? Thanks!
September 11, 2018 at 12:07 pm
I have made this a few times for my family and they all love it. It’s cheap, easy, and a house favorite! Thanks for sharing
November 11, 2018 at 5:31 pm
This is a huge family favorite….so easy and super yummy!
December 28, 2018 at 3:29 pm
recipes look tasty but need to know how much food I’m about to make. could you put serving numbers on your recipes?