I put this recipe together from things in my pantry and freezer. Surprisingly, it turned out pretty good! My husband especially liked it and suggested to put it in the Favorite’s Binder. This recipe is so versatile that it could be different every time it’s made.
Since the grocery stores have become unreliable, I decided to see what I could put together with what I already had on hand. I found a half full box of Jumbo Pasta Shells and thought it was time to use it up. I had a can of Healthy Request Mushroom Soup (which is now very sparse in the stores) for the sauce. However, any type of sauce would work in this recipe. I thought the frozen meatballs would fit nicely in the shells, but two meatballs in the shells would probably be even better. Cream cheese was added to the soup because I had about two tablespoons sitting in the fridge, but sour cream or plain yogurt would also be a nice addition of flavor.
Below is the recipe with some replacement ideas:
Pantry Jumbo Pasta Shell and Meatballs
Serves 4 but easily doubled
22 Jumbo Pasta Shells
22 frozen meatballs, thawed
1 can Healthy Choice Cream of Mushroom soup or sauce of choice
1/2 can of milk- if using tomato sauce; pasta water may be better or not needed at all
2 oz. cream cheese or plain yogurt/sour cream
1/2 to 1 c cooked mushrooms or any cooked vegetable – optional
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz. grated Asiago or any hard cheese
Spice or/and herbs of choice- I used Worcestershire sauce, dash of nutmeg and fresh Tai Basil
Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Place soup/sauce in a small pan under a low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients except the meatballs and warm but do not boil if using milk base sauce. Drain pasta and place in a baking dish filling each shell with a meatball or two. Pour sauce over shells and meatballs. Cover with foil and place in a 350° F preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Serve.
Coming next- Vegetarian dish!
Minnesota Food Lover 