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Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole

Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole delivers the cozy flavors of classic lasagna with tender jumbo shells cradling a robust beef-and-sausage sauce, creamy ricotta, and a golden mozzarella finish. Each bite balances mellow richness with a hint of heat from crushed red pepper and the freshness of basil. Serve it for family dinners or casual gatherings when you want hearty comfort with familiar Italian-American flair.

  • Prep35 mins
  • Cook50 mins
  • Serves6
  • DifficultyMedium
Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

41 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
50 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
15 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
52 / 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.

21
Heart Health
67
Metabolic
35
Digestive
24
Inflammatory
38
Performance
37
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Position a rack in the center of the oven, about 10 inches from the heat source.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander. Return it to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sirloin and sausage and cook, without stirring, until the bottom side is lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir, then continue cooking, stirring and breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

  4. 4

    Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.

  5. 5

    Stir in the marinara sauce, basil, and crushed red pepper. Remove the ragu from the heat.

  6. 6

    In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream, and salt.

  7. 7

    To assemble, spread about 2 cups of the ragu in the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon 1/2 of the pasta over the sauce. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon the remaining pasta over the mozzarella. Spread the remaining ragu over the pasta mixture, and dollop with the remaining ricotta mixture. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover the lasagna with a large sheet of aluminum foil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray (to keep the cheese from sticking).

  8. 8

    Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the foil. Increase the oven temperature to broil with the rack about 10 inches from the heat source; preheat for 5 minutes. Return the baking dish to the oven. Broil until the cheese is browned in spots, 5 to 8 minutes.

About This Recipe

Baked Lasagna Style Shells Casserole is an Italian dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 25 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Cooking Spray, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Basil, and Garlic. Each serving provides about 1133.17 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole?
It is an Italian casserole recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole made of?
The main ingredients are Cooking Spray, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Basil, Garlic, Grated Parmesan Cheese. The full list of 15 is above.
What goes well with Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole?
Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole?
About 1 hr 25 mins in total: 35 mins to prepare and 50 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 1133.17 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 8 steps.
Is Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole healthy?
Baked Lasagna-Style Shells Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 1133.17 calories and 56.97 g of protein, or 114% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1572.72 mg (68% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 25.74 g (129% 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.

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