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Mini Lasagna Shell Cups

Mini Lasagna Shell Cups pack rich meat sauce and creamy cheeses into jumbo pasta shells that crisp at the edges and stay tender inside. Each bite balances tangy marinara, mellow ricotta, and stretchy mozzarella with a hint of Parmesan. Serve them as a party appetizer or a fun weeknight dinner when you want classic lasagna flavors in a new, bite-size form.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook55 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Mini Lasagna Shell Cups

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Mini Lasagna Shell Cups, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

37 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
51 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
0 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
53 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

11
Heart Health
63
Metabolic
21
Digestive
20
Inflammatory
41
Performance
31
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and lightly grease a mini muffin pan.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

  3. 3

    Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; drain any excess grease.

  4. 4

    Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

  5. 5

    Stir in marinara, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.

  6. 6

    Add remaining 3 teaspoons salt and pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well.

  7. 7

    Turn the pasta shells inside out and place 24 shells into the prepared muffin pan. Reserve any broken or extra shells for another use.

  8. 8

    Fill each shell with about 2 teaspoons ricotta and sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the ricotta. Top with about 1 tablespoon meat sauce, then top evenly with mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan.

  9. 9

    Bake in the preheated oven until slightly golden at the edges and bubbly inside, about 15 minutes.

  10. 10

    Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

About This Recipe

Mini Lasagna Shell Cups is made with 12 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Diced Yellow Onion, Fresh Parsley, and Garlic Powder. Each serving provides about 367.78 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Mini Lasagna Shell Cups made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Diced Yellow Onion, Fresh Parsley, Garlic Powder, Grated Parmesan Cheese. The full list of 12 is above.
How long does it take to make Mini Lasagna Shell Cups?
About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 367.78 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Mini Lasagna Shell Cups easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 12 ingredients and 10 steps.
Is Mini Lasagna Shell Cups healthy?
Mini Lasagna Shell Cups has an easyChef Pro health score of 37/100. Per serving, it provides 367.78 calories and 22.95 g of protein, or 46% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 561.48 mg (24% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 9.28 g (46% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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