Mexican Stuffed Shells

Jumbo shells stuffed with ground beef and refried beans and topped with picante sauce is a Mexican- and Italian-inspired weeknight meal.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 657 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 36 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• ¾ cup picante sauce

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

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

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.

Step 3

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Add water and taco seasoning mix and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Stir refried beans, Cheddar cheese, and green chiles into ground beef; cook and stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill shells with beef mixture.

Step 5

Combine tomato sauce and picante sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Step 6

Arrange stuffed shells side-by-side in the baking dish and top with remaining sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.