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I have seen this recipe for Mexican stuffed shells for probably 2 years and always wanted to make it. Â I do not know what took me so long. Â I will have to do this for the kids when they come back home as an alternative to my chicken enchiladas they ask for.
In browning the ground turkey, I used the trick I learned from my Italian chef friend. Â There is no need to use oil. Â Make sure your skillet is very hot, and when hot, then add the meat. Â It will not stick when your pan is hot enough. Â The flavors and textures combined to make this dish are just awesome. Â You will look at this dish and think it is an Italian stuffed shell until you bite into it.
Mexican Stuffed Shells
Ingredients (adapted from Pinch of this & that):
1 lb. ground turkey
3 Chicken Italian sausages
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
8 oz. reduce fat cream cheese
2 packages jumbo pasta shells
1 cup Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
1 – 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°.
In a frying pan cook ground turkey and sausages.
Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
Add the cream cheese.
Cover and simmer until cheese is melted.  Set aside and cool completely.  I made this the night before.  You do not have to but it makes filling the shells really easy.  Cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain.  Set shells out individually on cutting a baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.  Again, let cool completely.
Stuff the shells with the ground turkey & sausage mixture.
Pour Mexican stewed tomatoes on bottom of a baking dish.
I used multiple dishes of different sizes because I thought it would make a nicer presentation. Â (The original recipe called for a 9″x13″ baking dish.) Â Next, place the shells open side up on top of the stewed tomatoes in your baking dish.
Cover shells with the taco sauce.
Next, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, take pasta out of the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Add more taco sauce if you like. Â Serve and enjoy!
Love this recipe – that bit of cream cheese in there totally makes it for me! I make stuffed shells about once a year, and they’re so good for just using up random bits and pieces of stuff in the fridge. Now I want to try some Mexican-flavored ones.
How can you wrong when cream cheese is added. It does add a nice richness to the dish. If this were done as an Italian stuffed shells, the cream cheese would likely have been ricotta.