Cozumel Shells

This recipe combines spices and flavors from the Mexican roasted pork dish, Cochinita Pibil, with Italian stuffed shells. Seasoned pork, cilantro, and queso fresco give the stuffed shells a Latin-American flair that deliciously mixes things up.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 477 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 (24 ounce) jar Barilla® Traditional Sauce
• 1 (12 ounce) box Barilla® Jumbo Shells
• 2 packets sazon seasoning with coriander and achiote
• 2 ½ pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups chicken stock, or as needed
• ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 10 ounces crumbled queso fresco cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Sprinkle sazon seasoning over pork cubes and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Mix orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper together in a mixing bowl. Pour into plastic bag with pork; gently squeeze to evenly distribute marinade. Seal bag and place on a plate. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Remove pork from marinade; reserve marinade. Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pork until brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved marinade and enough chicken stock to barely cover the pork. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer until meat is falling-apart tender, about 45 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer pork with a slotted spoon to a bowl; reserve 1/3 cup of cooking liquid. Cool pork slightly; shred pork with two forks. Mix in reserved cooking liquid, cilantro, and 7 ounces of crumbled queso fresco cheese.

Step 5

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain.

Step 6

Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 cups of pasta sauce. Stuff shells with a spoonful of pork mixture and arrange in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce evenly over stuffed shells and sprinkle with remaining crumbled queso fresco.

Step 7

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.