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Yields:
4 - 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Cal/Serv:
871
These French onion stuffed shells are filled with fluffy ricotta, gooey caramelized onions, and plenty of Gruyère for a deeply comforting wintertime dish that’s guaranteed to fill your home with the most delicious aroma. You’ll be making this over and over again as soon as the temperatures drop. Read on for the best tips on how to make this cozy meal.
The onions:
Both the shell filling and the sauce for these baked shells start with deeply caramelized onions. The key to achieving the glowing golden brown color you want is to take things low and slow—this can’t be rushed! Give the onions a stir every few minutes to make sure the bottom isn’t getting crispy, and wait until the entire pan looks toasty brown and gooey.
The filling:
Time for all the cheeses! Round out the shell filling with ricotta, Parmesan, and Gruyère cheeses, plus an egg for fluffiness.
The sauce:
Finish the French onion soup-inspired sauce for these stuffed shells with a bit of all-purpose flour to thicken things up and beef broth for the ultra-rich, meaty flavor you’re looking for on a chilly night.
The topping:
Because every good baked pasta dish should have a crispy, golden topping, these shells are finished with a sprinkle of panko bread crumbs and grated Parmesan.
If you make these shells, be sure to let us know what you think with a rating and review below!
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Ingredients
Cooking spray
- 3 Tbsp.
unsalted butter
- 4
large yellow onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
- 6 oz.
jumbo pasta shells (about 20)
- 1 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 cup
dry red wine
- 3
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp.
fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried thyme, plus more for serving
- 1
large egg
- 1 1/2 cups
whole milk ricotta
- 1 1/2 cups
shredded Gruyère, divided
- 3/4 cup
finely grated Parmesan, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp.
all-purpose flour
- 1 cup
low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup
panko bread crumbs
Directions
- Step 1Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions; season with 1 tsp. salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat or adding a splash of water if onions are browning too quickly, until deeply caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook shells, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return shells to pot. Drizzle with oil and toss to prevent sticking.
- Step 3Add wine to caramelized onions, increase heat to medium-high, and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of skillet. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4In a medium bowl, combine egg, ricotta, 1 c. Gruyère, and 1/2 c. Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Fold in half of caramelized onions.
- Step 5Carefully fill each shell with a few tablespoons egg mixture. Arrange shells in rows in prepared dish.
- Step 6Sprinkle flour over remaining onions in skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until flour is toasty smelling and pasty, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and slightly thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Step 7Pour sauce over shells, distributing onions over shells. In a medium bowl, combine panko and remaining 1/2 c. Gruyère and 1 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle mixture over shells.
- Step 8Cover pan and bake shells 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until bread crumbs are golden and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes in dish. Top with more thyme.
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