The cheesiest of cheesy pastas… these jumbo shells are stuffed with cheese, covered with my ‘Better than Olive Garden’ Alfredo sauce, & baked off into one of the best things ever. Cheese Lover’s Stuffed Shells for the win!

I’m a sucker for pasta & cheese. I just am.

I mean, you should see my pasta when I go out to eat & the waiter brings around the cheese shredder.

‘Just say when….’

I don’t say when for a while. Mt. Parmesan needs to form first… and it’s a pretty big mountain. I tend to like a little bit of pasta with my cheese. So, for someone who loves cheese so much (with a side of pasta) – this dish is the bee’s knees. If bees had knees, that is.

Not only are the shells stuffed with an abundance of cheese, but the whole darn thing is covered with a homemade creamy & cheesy Alfredo sauce. And not just any Alfredo sauce either. This one is my copycat version of Olive Gardens…only it’s better. The whole things bakes off in the oven into one of the best things ever. Be careful when taking it out of the oven; it’s not wise to dive headfirst into something so hot. Wait til it cools off a little bit first.

Wanna make it? Ha – who am I kidding? Of course you do!

Here’s what you need:

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the jumbo pasta shells until al dente.

In a large bowl, combine 1.5 cups of ricotta cheese with 2 cups of Italian cheese blend and 1 egg – season with salt & pepper. Stuff the cheese mixture inside of your cooked jumbo shells.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add 3-4 minced garlic cloves, 2 cups of heavy cream, & pinch of black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, whisking often. Add 3/4 of Parmesan cheese & cook the sauce on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and is smooth. Make sure you give it a good whisk every couple of minutes! Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese & stir until smooth. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells.

Sprinkle with a little more mozzarella cheese & some chopped parsley (optional).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the top is browned & the whole thing is bubbling nicely.

And again, don’t dive in headfirst at this point. You’ll burn your eyeballs. Wait a few minutes, friends.

Let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving… then dig in. Head first or with a fork. Whatever.