Cheesy Fajita Stuffed Shells are a Mexican twist on a classic Italian dinner recipe. Make this easy cheesy pasta casserole in 30 minutes!
This amazing casserole dish has all the classic Mexican flavors of Beef Fajitas baked inside Cheesy Stuffed Shells for the ultimate comfort food. Make this easy Mexican-Italian dish for Dinner tonight!
Sabrina’s Cheesy Fajita Stuffed Shells Recipe
These cheesy, stuffed shells are the perfect family-friendly weeknight meal! The filling comes together quickly with simple ingredients, the assembly is easy, and the whole dinner is done in about 30 minutes. Plus, it’s a one-pan casserole dish recipe, so you’ll love the minimal clean up time too!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
- 1/2 cup red onion , diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper , diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper , diced
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes , un-drained
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup salsa , divided
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese , divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the pasta shells in a pot according to the directions on the box and drain.
- Add the ground beef, onion, and bell peppers to a large cast iron skillet and brown well.
- Drain the fat.
- Add the fajita seasoning, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook until water is gone.
- Stir in ½ cup salsa and ¾ cup cheese.
- Scoop mixture into the jumbo pasta shells and place back in the skillet. Top with the remaining salsa and cheese.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
About this Recipe
These are an easy twist on a favorite delicious pasta dish. It’s a fun idea for Taco Night or whenever you can’t decide between Italian or Mexican for dinner. The taco meat filling is easy to prepare with plenty of flavor from the tomato sauce, veggies, and fajita seasoning. The filling is all scooped into the jumbo pasta shells to bake with the melty cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- Jumbo Pasta Shells: Tender jumbo pasta shells take the place of tortillas in this tasty casserole dish. You could also stuff the filling into Manicotti or Cannelloni, or roll it up in lasagna sheets!
- Ground Beef: A package of ground beef takes the place of steak for a more budget-friendly meat filling that is a bit easier to cook. The fattier beef cut stays juicy being cooked, then baked, plus the small crumbles fit much better in the pasta shells.
- Veggies: Sizzling veggies like onions and bell peppers are a part of a classic fajita dish. Instead of veggie strips, they are diced into small pieces so they mix with the filling and fit nicely in the shells. They add a lot of delicious flavor to the taco meat too!
- Fajita Seasoning: Fajita seasoning is a blend of classic Mexican seasonings like cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic and onion, and cayenne. If you don’t have fajita seasoning, you can swap in Taco Seasoning and add a little extra cumin.
- Tomato Mixture: Tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and salsa are all mixed into the meat and simmered to a rich, thick meat and tomato sauce.
- Cheese: Half of the cheddar cheese is mixed into the melty, beefy filling while the rest is set aside for the perfect bubbly cheesy topping.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
Cast Iron Skillet: A large cast iron skillet takes the place of the grill top you normally use to make fajitas. It gives the meat and veggies a good char and builds a lot of flavor. Plus it can go from stove top to oven so you bake the stuffed shells in the same pan for a one-dish dinner. You can cook this in a 9×13-inch casserole dish if you don’t have the cast iron skillet and just cook the filling separately in a regular skillet.
Can this be made ahead of time?
This is a fantastic make-ahead and freezer meal recipe to save you time on busy weeknights! You can assemble them the night before in the skillet and pop them in the oven when you get home. To freeze them ahead, assemble them in a freezer safe 9×13-inch baking pan but don’t bake them. Cover the dish with plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 4 months. When you are ready to serve them, simply remove the plastic wrap and bake them from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to your cooking time.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- How to Keep Pasta Shells from Breaking: Make sure to only cook the shells to al dente. To stop them from cooking, rinse them with cold water after you drain them.
- How to Prevent Watery Stuffed Shells: You want to reduce your sauce and let it thicken so you don’t get watery stuffed shells. Make sure to drain the fat from the meat well too.
Serving Ideas
- Drinks: Recreate a Mexican Cantina experience by serving your meal with a margarita or a cold Cerveza. Make it a fun, special meal for the kiddos by serving them a Shirley Temple, aka Sprite with grenadine and cherry!
- Side Dishes: A cheesy, meaty casserole like these stuffed shells always goes with light veggie sides like Roasted Broccoli. You can also make a quick Mexican Corn Salad for a tasty south of the border side dish.
- Fajita Toppings: Trying adding a dollop of sour cream, Guacamole, and Salsa over the top, or serve them on the side so everyone can add their own toppings.
- Enchilada Sauce: To give this dish some extra Mexican flavors, you can top the dish off with a drizzle of warm Enchilada Sauce. You could also swap the salsa with the enchilada sauce in the filling too.
How to Store
- Store: To store leftovers, transfer the shells to a sealed container, then keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat your stuffed shells in the oven in a covered dish so they reheat slowly and don’t dry out. You can also add a splash of water or broth to the pan to steam them while they reheat to keep them moist.
- Freeze: You can also store the stuffed shells in a freezer-safe container to keep them fresh for future meals. They’ll stay good frozen for up to 3 months.
Frequent Questions
Usually stuffed shells will get watery because the filling is not reduced enough. If your filling is saucy, like in this recipe, simmer the sauce on the stovetop until it’s nice and thick, like a Sloppy Joe consistency. If your baked shells are watery, you can try baking them uncovered for 5 minutes to get rid of some of the liquid.
While taco seasoning and fajita seasoning are made with a lot of the same ingredients, they are slightly different. Taco seasoning has much more chili powder where fajita blends have more cumin. Also, fajita seasoning doesn’t usually have oregano but taco seasoning does.
Variations
Mix-ins: For some delicious add-ins try adding some green onion, frozen corn, green chilies, jalapenos, or black beans.
Cheese topping: You can try different cheese varieties like Pepper Jack cheese, Colby Jack, Provolone, Mozzarella, or a Mexican cheese blend.
Make it Healthier: Swap out the cottage cheese for a low fat option. You can also use lean ground turkey or ground chicken.
Related Recipes
More Beefy Stuffed Shells Recipes
This recipe is great!
I have made another recipe, but this one tops that one!
I had purchased the shells to make your manicotti, the easy way,
but I made these shells.
You have a satisfied hubby with these!
Love it Pam! Maybe hubby would enjoy our Ricotta Stuffed Shells too!
https://dinnerthendessert.com/ricotta-stuffed-shells/