Description
An elegant take on comfort food, these creamy taco stuffed shells are filled with a silky cheese and spiced beef filling, topped with crispy cheese for a delightful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey, rinsed and drained if fatty
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream, full fat
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup tomato salsa
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (for broiling)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the shells until just al dente, drain, and lay on a lightly oiled sheet.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sweat the diced onion until translucent (about 3–4 minutes), then add garlic and cook until aromatic.
- Add ground meat, breaking it apart; cook until browned. Season with taco seasoning and deglaze the pan with water.
- Transfer the meat to a bowl to cool, then stir in cream cheese, sour cream, 3/4 cup shredded cheese, and salsa until smooth.
- Stuff each shell with the filling, placing them snugly in the prepared dish.
- Scatter remaining cheese over the shells and bake uncovered for 18–22 minutes.
- Broil for 1–2 minutes until golden, watching closely.
- Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes, and finish with cilantro and lime.
Notes
For best results, soften cream cheese to room temperature and finely dice onions for even texture. You can reserve a little pasta water when draining to add silkiness to the filling if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg