Cheesy Turkey and Kale Stuffed Shells

stuffed shells from scratch with maria provenzano

Being a busy mom, I am always looking to have recipes that can be made ahead of time, are easy to freeze, make for great leftovers, and provide a well-rounded meal. Stuffed shells is one of my favorite recipes that checks all these boxes. I think most Italians have their own way of making stuffed shells, and this is mine!

I know kale is a little overplayed right now, but I still love it. It’s earthy, really sturdy, and super healthy. Spinach can also be used in its place! I also use turkey in this recipe for a bit of a lighter take on an old favorite. This is a great meal for busy parents, because it can be made ahead and/or frozen, AND it can feed a good amount of people. You could even double the recipe to make it for a very large crowd.

The secret to making these shells really good is to not overcook the pasta when it's boiling. Cook it so that it is al dente (has some bite to it), and still pretty sturdy. It will cook more in the oven. If the pasta is overcooked the shells won't standup nicely. I also recommend using homemade marinara sauce with this. If you have never made marinara sauce, you must at some point in your life. It's more cost effective, it's easy to freeze, and it tastes really fresh. You will never want to go back to jarred sauces.

Cheesy Turkey and Kale Stuffed Shells

Author:

Maria Provenzano

Serves:

For a great homemade marinara sauce recipe search "marinara sauce" on FromScratchWithMaria.com

Ingredients

1 bunch kale; stems removed; chopped and cooked (ends up being about 1 heaping cup cooked kale)
1/2 large onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
2 lbs ground turkey
salt and pepper
8 oz mascarpone cheese; room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; plus more for serving
25-30 pasta shells
3-4 cups marinara sauce
fresh basil or parsley for topping

Instructions

Remove the kale from it's large thick stem, and chop
Place the kale in a large skillet over medium heat with a sprinkle of salt
Cook until the kale is softened and cooked down
Place in a strainer and allow to drain and cool
Once cooled, place the kale in a cheese cloth or paper towel to squeeze out the excess liquid
Place in a cutting board and chop into smaller pieces
Place 1/2 a large onion in a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt
Cook until softened, about 5 minutes
Add in the minced garlic and fresh rosemary, cook for about a minute
Add in the ground turkey; use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey so that it is in small, crumbled pieces
Cook until the turkey is cooked through
Add in the kale, mascarpone, and parmesan cheese
Stir until evenly mixed; if you want to make this ahead of time, this mixture can be cooled and refrigerated
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Place the shells in salted boiling water, and cook until very al dente; not completely cooked through
Drain
Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish
Stuff each shell with a scoop of the turkey mixture
Place the stuffed shell onto the layer of marinara; repeat until all of the turkey mixture is used
Pour some of the marinara over the shells
Sprinkle with some extra parmesan cheese
Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot
Heat more of the marinara sauce in a pan to have extra for serving
Allow the shells to cool for a few minutes before serving
Top with more marinara, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese if desired