Best Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells Recipe (Freezable)

How to Make Stuffed Hamburger Shells

These cheeseburger stuffed shells really do taste like a good cheeseburger! I was skeptical at first, but once I took a bite, I knew this recipe was a keeper. In fact, my most picky child says he loves it and wants me to make them again very soon. That is a big win for me!

Best of all, this recipe is freezer meal friendly! You can easily cook up multiple batches to freeze for later. Just make sure to plan in advance if you want an easy freezing experience.

This filling amount in the recipe below will fill 25 shells, and an 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish fits about 12 shells, while a 9×13 size fits 20-25 shells. I typically prep two 8-inch dishes and then freeze one for later for the best experience.

Making the Cheeseburger Filling

The cheeseburger filling is simple but really works. Not too much ketchup or mustard, just a nice combination of cheeseburger ingredients and flavors! If you are a fan of relish, you can try adding about 1/4 cup sweet relish to the filling.

Making the Simple Tomato/Ketchup Sauce

I didn’t think the tomato sauce/ketchup sauce would cut it for me, but it actually works quite well with this dish. The flavor is great and it allows the cheeseburger filling to shine through.

PS: Mixing bowl recommendation! Pyrex Smart Essentials 8-Piece Mixing Bowl Set with Lids:

I use these mixing bowls all the time! The large 4-quart bowl comes in handy for this recipe and more. I actually use them so often that I am glad to have two sets.

Assembling Your Stuffed Cheeseburger Shells

Once your baking dish is ready and your cheeseburger filling is prepared, it’s time to assemble your cheeseburger stuffed shells. Simply fill your pasta shell with about 1/4 cup of filling and place them in the baking dish filling side up.

Finish with Cheese and Sauce!

Top your stuffed hamburger shells with the remaining sauce and two cups of cheese. After baking, you can add some tasty additions to your stuffed shells!

Adding Garnish

This step is optional but you can add some great flavor to your cheeseburger stuffed pasta shells by adding some fresh diced tomato, green onion, and/or cooked bacon pieces. Yum!

Feel free to get creative! Comment some other topping ideas below if you have any!

Learn More About Freezer Meal Cooking:

• Why you NEED Freezer Meal Cooking in your life!
• How to start a Freezer Meal Group (Should you?)
• 24 Freezer Meal Hacks you need to learn
• Foods That Don’t Freeze Well
• Freezer Meal eBook

More Cheeseburger Recipes:

• Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
• Chipotle Cheeseburgers Recipe
• Cheeseburger Quesadillas
• Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Best Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells Recipe (Freezable)

This cheeseburger stuffed shells recipe is amazing! It actually tastes like a real cheeseburger!

4.34 / 5 ( 3 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• 6-8 quart pot
• Large skillet
• Large bowl
• Small bowl
• Baking dish

Ingredients

• 20-24 jumbo pasta shells from a 12 oz box
• 2 pounds ground beef
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ cups ketchup divided
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 ounces
• 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 8 ounces

Instructions

• Cook pasta shells in salted water in a large 6- to 8-quart pot to al dente, according to package directions. Drain water and place shells on a clean dish towel or paper towel to cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until meat is cooked through. Drain grease, if needed.
• Transfer ground beef and onion to a large bowl. Add mustard, worcestershire, pepper, ½ cup ketchup, and 1 cup sharp cheese and mix together.
• In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup of ketchup and tomato sauce. Spoon enough of the sauce mixture to lightly cover the bottom of the baking dish (one 9x13 or two 8- or 9-inch baking dishes).
• Fill each pasta shell with a little less than ¼ cup of ground beef filling mixture and place filling-side-up in the baking dish.
• Cover shells with remaining sauce, then sprinkle the 2 cups cheese evenly over top.
• Cover with foil and bake right away, or refrigerate for up to 18 hours before baking, or follow freezing instructions below.
• Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes at 400°F/200°C, then remove foil and bake uncovered for about 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
• Garnish with sliced green onion, fresh diced tomato, and/or bacon crumbles, if desired.

Preparing for the Freezer:

• Before baking, cover with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Label and freeze. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Prepare After Freezing:

• Before baking, remove plastic wrap and re-cover with foil.
• Let thaw in the refrigerator, bake as directed above. Or to bake from frozen, bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350°F/175°C. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15-30 more minutes, until bubbly and warmed through.

Recipe Notes

A 12-ounce box of jumbo pasta shells usually includes about 44 shells, some of which may be broken.
This recipe will make 20-24 stuffed pasta shells, depending on how full you fill each shell.

Nutrition

Calories: 607kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 38g | Sodium: 1137mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g