Mexican Stuffed shells are filled with seasoned taco flavored beef and topped with cheese! These are great if you're looking for something different for Taco Tuesday night. They are also great for Weight Watchers.
I was very tired today and really wanted to come home and take a nap. Instead, I ended up cooking and made three things. A frozen key lime pie, banana bread muffins, and this dish for Mexican stuffed shells.
I am home alone this weekend and decided to make these Mexican stuffed shells since there was cheese on top and cream cheese in the middle. Boy let me tell you something, these Mexican Shells did not disappoint.
Try out these other recipes - Weight Watchers Meatloaf, Weight Watchers Fried Rice, Weight Watchers Pasta Fagioli
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Ingredients Needed
- Ground beef (93% lean) - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues. Additionally, it tends to have fewer calories per serving, making it a good option for those watching their weight. The 96% lean ground beef from Aldi is my favorite.
- Yellow onion, diced
- Taco seasoning - Is a blend of spices used to flavor ground beef or other meats for use in tacos. It typically includes a combination of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and sometimes salt and pepper. It can be purchased pre-mixed, or made at home using individual spices. I usually buy the Lower Sodium Taco Seasoning packets such as Mrs Dash.
- Fat free cream cheese - I like to use Reduced-Fat Cheese because it has a lower calorie count and less saturated fat than regular cheese, but it may also have a different taste and texture. It also helps with keeping the calorie count pretty low for this recipe.
- Pasta shells - jumbo sized
- Enchilada sauce - use your favorite brand, I like Trader Joes or Old El Paso.
- Salsa - Use your favorite jarred or prepared salsa
- Reduced fat colby jack cheese - I like to use Reduced-Fat Cheese because it has a lower calorie count and less saturated fat than regular cheese, but it may also have a different taste and texture. It also helps with keeping the calorie count pretty low for this recipe.
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Boil your pasta shells for about 10 minutes until cooked al dente. Rinse shells when done cooking.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook up your ground beef and onions over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly. Drain the excess grease from the pan. Add in taco seasoning and stir to mix. Add in cream cheese and cook over medium heat until cheese is mixed in and melty throughout. Set aside.
Step 3: Combine your enchilada sauce and salsa in a small bowl. Pour about half of your enchilada sauce salsa mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread around.
Step 4: Fill each jumbo shell with a heaping 1 TBS of meat mixture and place into pan with sauce. Repeat until all shells or meat mixture is gone. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce salsa mixture over the tops of the shells. Top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Pro Tips for Mexican Stuffed Shells
- Don't overcook the shells: Cook the pasta shells just until al dente. They will continue cooking in the oven, and slightly firm shells are easier to stuff without falling apart.
- Let the filling cool slightly: If your meat mixture is very hot, give it a few minutes to cool before stuffing the shells.
- Don't overfill the shells: A generous spoonful of filling is plenty. Overfilling can make the shells difficult to arrange in the baking dish.
- Use plenty of sauce: Spread sauce underneath and over the shells to keep the pasta from drying out while it bakes.
- Cover while baking: Covering the dish for most of the baking time helps keep the stuffed shells moist. Remove the cover near the end so the cheese can melt and brown.
- Let them rest: Allow the stuffed shells to sit for a few minutes after coming out of the oven. This makes them easier to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Mexican Stuffed Shells with your favorite Mexican-inspired sides. A simple green salad, Mexican rice, black beans, or corn make easy additions to the meal.
Top each serving with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, or a spoonful of salsa. You can also serve tortilla chips and salsa on the side.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator: Allow the stuffed shells to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Mexican Stuffed Shells are a great freezer meal. Assemble the shells in a freezer-safe baking dish, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through. For larger portions, cover with foil and warm in the oven until hot.
Meal Prepping
Mexican Stuffed Shells are perfect for meal prep because they can be assembled ahead of time and portioned into individual servings. Divide leftovers into meal-prep containers for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Other Recipes To Try
If you tried this Mexican Stuffed Shells orany other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries
Recipe adapted from Like Mother Like Daughter
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Mexican Stuffed Shells
- Prep Time: 15min
- Cook Time: 30min
- Total Time: 45min
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Easy
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Stuffed pasta shells filled with seasoned taco flavored beef and topped with cheese! These are great if you're looking for something different for Taco Tuesday night.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (93% lean)
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 TBS taco seasoning
- 4 oz fat free cream cheese
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 10 oz enchilada sauce
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup reduced fat colby jack cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Boil your pasta shells for about 10 minutes until cooked al dente. Rinse shells when done cooking.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, cook up your ground beef and onions over medium high heat until cooked thoroughly.
- Drain the excess grease from the pan.
- Add in taco seasoning and stir to mix.
- Add in cream cheese and cook over medium heat until cheese is mixed in and melty throughout. Set aside.
- Combine your enchilada sauce and salsa in a small bowl.
- Pour about half of your enchilada sauce salsa mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread around.
- Fill each jumbo shell with a heaping 1 TBS of meat mixture and place into pan with sauce.
- Repeat until all shells or meat mixture is gone.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce salsa mixture over the tops of the shells.
- Wrap pan in aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and top with cheeses.
- Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
WW Points: 9 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 shells
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 3.5
- Fat: 11.21g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8
- Carbohydrates: 32.27g
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Protein: 23.36g
Jenna says
Check the recipe again. The section titled Nutrition...
Tanya says
Where is the nutritional information chart so I can add it to my app???
Kathy Erickson says
I made this recipe last night and it received rave reviews by the eaters here! I used a mix of extra lean ground beef and turkey for the meat to lower the points a bit. I may have overstuffed the shells a bit, so I got only 19 stuffed shells. Still plenty for leftovers! Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Tammra L Pearce says
Delicious! Substituted ground turkey. Really good!