These no sauce stuffed pasta shells are filled with a mixture of cheese, ham, peas, onion and covered with more cheese. Comfort food at its best.
This recipe does not contain tomato sauce. There are so many stuffed pasta recipes with tomato sauce that I saw it as my ‘duty’ to make one without. It goes without saying that if you want that a sauce, by all means add it to the dish.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Jumbo pasta shells – There are various sizes, the weight is around 4 ounces for two people. This came down about 18 shells in total for the brand I used.
- Peas
- Onion
- Garlic – or garlic paste.
- Provolone cheese – or any other melting cheese.
- Cooked ham
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parsley
- Roux – butter, flour and milk.
How to Make No Tomato Sauce Stuffed Pasta Shells
Step 1 – Cook the pasta shells according to the directions on the packaging. Drain and keep some of the pasta water (you will need it later. Allow the pasta to cool. Find a dish that holds all the shells.
Step 2 – Make the filling, by cooking the chopped onion in butter until translucent, add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add flour and then milk, pasta water or stock or a combination until you have a thick sauce.
Add Provolone cheese, ham, peas, salt, pepper, and tarragon. You may want to add a little more liquid to make sure the cheese melts, but the sauce should remain thick.
Step 3 – Fill the shells with the sauce. You can do this with a piping bag or by hand. Make sure you fill them to the rim. This is what I call ‘therapy’. It’s a little tedious, but it’s time to allow your mind to wander freely. When all the shells are filled and placed in the dish, pour a little bit of pasta water in the dish (not on the shells). This will prevent the shells from sticking.
Step 4 – Sprinkle the top with a decent amount of shredded Mozzarella cheese and place the dish in an oven of 400 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes. If the top becomes too dark, but the dish is not yet heated enough, cover it with aluminum foil.
Other Pasta Recipes with Ham
No Sauce Stuffed Pasta Shells
Ingredients
- 4 ounces jumbo pasta shells (NOTE 1)
- 1/4 onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic (NOTE 2) minced
- 1 ounce butter
- 1 ounce flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 ounces green peas
- 2 ounces cooked ham finely chopped
- 2.5 ounces Provolone cheese shredded
- 2 ounces low moisture Mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
- 1/2 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells according to the directions on the packaging. Drain and keep some of the pasta water (you will need a later). Allow the pasta to cool. Find a dish that holds all the shells.
- Melt the butter in a pan and cook the chopped onion until translucent, add the garlic and cook another minute. Add flour and then milk and/or pasta water or stock until you have a thick sauce.
- Add Provolone cheese, ham, peas, salt, pepper, and tarragon. You may want to add a little more liquid to make sure the cheese melts, but the sauce should remain thick. (NOTE 3) Allow the sauce to cook.
- Once the pasta and sauce is cooled, you will need to fill the shells with the sauce. Make sure you fill them to the rim.
- Pour a little bit of pasta water in the dish (not on the shells). This will prevent the shells from sticking.
- Sprinkle the top with a decent amount of shredded Mozzarella cheese and place the dish in an oven of 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. (NOTE 4)
Notes
- 4 ounces of jumbo pasta shells is about 18-20 shells (depending on size). This may depend on the brand you buy.
- 1 clove of garlic can be replace by 1 teaspoon of garlic paste.
- A thin sauce will have the tendency to run out of the shells during baking, so make the sauce relatively thick.
- If the top becomes too dark, but the dish is not yet heated enough, cover it with aluminum foil.
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