29 Easy Stuffed Pasta Recipes For Beginners

Pasta is already a pretty incredible invention as it is, but we'd argue that this Italian staple is even better when stuffed with a variety of delicious fillings. However, when we think of crafting a homemade stuffed pasta dish, our thoughts might turn to hours spent wrestling with a pasta machine or cooking up a complex medley of stuffing ingredients. But, it really doesn't have to be that complicated. Stuffed pasta can absolutely fit into your everyday cooking, with many recipes requiring easy prep and no specialist equipment. And of course, to make things even simpler, there's also the option to purchase pre-stuffed store-bought pastas, which are super easy to jazz up with a few additional ingredients.

From crowd-pleasing stuffed shells to elegant ravioli dishes, we have a wide variety of wonderfully straightforward stuffed pasta recipes to share with you. Perhaps you're craving a warming tortellini soup, or want to give cheesy manicotti a try. You can even use pre-filled pasta to build a hearty lasagna! So, if you're a newbie in the kitchen, or just prefer cooking without the fuss, you're in the right place. Here are some foolproof ideas to help you enter the world of stuffed pasta with confidence.

Mixing, kneading, and rolling out pasta dough isn't the only way to create homemade ravioli. In fact, you can easily switch out the dough for wonton wrappers. This recipe does just that, sandwiching a rich, creamy mixture of cooked sausage meat, ricotta, mozzarella, and lemon zest between two wrappers. A brush of beaten egg ensures the filling stays firmly enclosed, and after a quick boil in salted water, the ravioli are ready to toss with your favorite marinara sauce.

Recipe: Shortcut Homemade Ravioli

Jumbo shells are arguably the easiest type of pasta to stuff, offering the perfect boat-shaped base for piling with savory delights. This recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep time, and features a mouthwatering trio of filling ingredients — creamy ricotta, hearty sausage, and fresh spinach. You'll first boil the pasta, before sauteing the filling mixture, and spooning it into the drained, al dente shells. Then, sit the stuffed pasta on a layer of passata in a baking dish, sprinkle over some grated Parmesan, and bake to perfection.

Recipe: Baked Stuffed Shells

Rigatoni is another fantastic candidate for a hassle-free stuffed pasta recipe. These large, tube-like pasta shapes are ideal for holding meaty fillings, and here we pipe them with a mixture of Italian sausage and egg (if you don't have a piping bag, a plastic zipper bag with the corner cut off will do the job). And, what makes this dish extra special is the simple but incredibly elegant rapini sauce, which features the aromatic goodness of onions and garlic, sweet tang of cherry tomatoes, and savory richness of anchovy fillets.

Recipe: Best Stuffed Rigatoni With Sausage

Whilst this recipe does require making pasta dough from scratch, a pasta machine really isn't essential here. You can absolutely roll out the simple, two-ingredient dough with a rolling pin. Plus, the delicate crab filling couldn't be easier to whip up, with no pre-cooking necessary. Just combine canned crab meat with ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and chopped parsley, and the mixture can be spooned straight onto the pasta sheet, ready for topping, cutting, and boiling.

Recipe: Crab Ravioli

The filling for these delightfully creamy stuffed shells includes onion, garlic, Italian sausage, spinach, and not one, not two, but three types of cheese. Then, to really amp up the indulgence factor, we top the shells with a silky garlic-cream sauce before baking. Try scattering the piping-hot shells with fresh parsley, and serving them with a side of crusty garlic bread. It doesn't get much more comforting than this!

Recipe: Sausage And Spinach Stuffed Shells

You'll need just six ingredients to make this deliciously cheesy manicotti recipe. Manicotti noodles have a similar shape to rigatoni and cannelloni, though tend to be larger, which means more room for stuffing! Here, the pasta is first boiled, then stuffed with a satisfying combination of ricotta cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Arrange the filled manicotti in a baking dish with lashings of marinara sauce and a generous scattering of mozzarella cheese, and bake until gorgeously melty.

Recipe: Classic Manicotti

It might sound unnervingly fancy, but hear us out. This recipe is far easier to perfect than it seems, calling for wonton wrappers rather than a homemade dough. And, for that amazing sweet and savory pear and gorgonzola filling, you'll simply saute minced shallot with dried and fresh pear pieces, before stirring them with the cheese. The sage and walnut butter, which takes mere minutes to make, ties all of the incredible flavors together beautifully.

Recipe: Pear And Gorgonzola Ravioli

Pasta and butternut squash are a match made in heaven, especially when joined by ooey gooey burrata cheese. Here, tender roasted butternut squash is mixed with various herbs, aromatics, and cheeses, plus an egg to bind everything together. Once this mixture has been spooned into the al dente shells and nestled in a baking dish, we tear over that creamy burrata, which really steals the show as it melts down into an irresistible layer of creaminess in the oven.

Recipe: Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells & Burrata

With a smooth, cheesy, sweet potato filling and fragrant sage butter, this homemade ravioli truly delivers on flavor. It does involve making a dough from scratch, but using a simple rolling pin to create those thin pasta sheets is no problem. The recipe also recommends using a ravioli form, which makes filling and cutting the pasta a breeze, but you could totally use a basic handheld dough cutter for this, or even just a knife.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Ravioli With Sage Brown Butter

Transport yourself to the Mediterranean with these creamy, tomatoey, seafood-stuffed shells. The combination of garlicky, citrusy crab meat and chopped shrimp give this dish a delicate and subtly briny flavor, whilst cream cheese adds plenty of richness, and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning complements the seafood perfectly. There's also instructions for whipping up a flavorful cognac-tomato sauce, but feel free to switch this out for a convenient store-bought alternative if preferred.

Recipe: Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells

Following a vegan diet doesn't have to mean missing out on the joys of stuffed pasta. Cheese is certainly a common theme amongst these recipes, but here we ditch the conventional manicotti filling for an inventive mixture of tofu, nutritional yeast, and dairy-free mozzarella, which gets blended up with some flavor-boosting seasonings and piped into the pasta tubes. A homemade marinara coats everything with a layer of glorious tomatoey goodness, and fresh basil finishes everything off with a vibrant pop of color.

Recipe: Vegan Tofu Manicotti

The convenience of wonton wrappers strikes again, and this time they're being filled with tangy goat cheese, fresh thyme, and of course, good old ricotta. It's a simple case of laying out wonton wrappers on a floured surface, brushing them with egg, spooning in the filling mixture, and topping them with a second wrapper. You can then grab a fork to press down the edges and make sure everything is nice and secure. After boiling the ravioli, serve it up with a fragrant garlic butter and generous sprinkling of Parmesan.

Recipe: Best Wonton Ravioli

Who knew you could have a plate of homemade ravioli on the table in under 25 minutes? This easy pumpkin ravioli again makes use of trusty wonton wrappers, and the convenience doesn't end there. All you'll need to create the earthy, cheesy filling is a can of pumpkin, some shredded Parmesan, and dash of salt and pepper. After boiling the ravioli, things get even more delicious when the pasta is tossed in a nutty, sage-infused browned butter.

Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli

Jumbo shells are such a fantastically versatile canvas to cook with, and one of our favorite ways to enjoy them is stuffed with a cheesy chicken filling. Just combine shredded chicken with mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and spoon this into your pre-cooked shells. Then, to make the luscious sauce, you'll melt butter with garlic, Parmesan, and cream. This makes for a rather dreamy mashup of textures and flavors.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Stuffed Shells

When it comes to stuffing cannelloni, you can't go wrong with a classic blend of spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, and garlic. This flavor-packed bake is everything you could want in a pasta dish — comforting, satisfying, and brimming with cheese. And, you don't even need to boil the pasta before stuffing it. Just pipe the mixture into the uncooked tubes, add them to a baking dish with a jar of marinara sauce, sprinkle on some mozzarella, and pop everything into the oven.

Recipe: Cheesy Spinach Cannelloni

We're returning to the blissful convenience of store-bought ravioli for this recipe. And even better, you'll only need to combine this with two other ingredients to create an irresistibly tasty dinner. In this lasagna-style creation, the stuffed pasta is layered up with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese in the bottom of the slow cooker. Leave everything to cook on high for four hours, and the cheesy, tomatoey delight is ready to serve with some fresh basil and Parmesan.

Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

If you've never tried toasted ravioli, that needs to change! When coated in a seasoned mixture of grated Parmesan and Panko breadcrumbs, and popped into the air fryer, store-bought ravioli takes on a whole new texture. That flavorful outer layer becomes beautifully crispy, whilst the fillings inside remain lovely and tender. The toasted ravioli are particularly great served as a snack or appetizer, with a side of marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

Recipe: Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli

Looking to sneak some veggies into your dinner, whilst keeping picky eaters happy? This ravioli lasagna is the perfect solution. As well as the usual diced tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning, the homemade marinara sauce also includes onion, bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini. But, you'd never know, since everything gets blended up into a smooth sauce. Layered and baked with store-bought ravioli, ricotta, and Parmesan, the result is a wholesome, cozy meal that the whole family will enjoy.

Recipe: Hidden Vegetable Ravioli Lasagna

We're all for a warm, cheesy bowlful of stuffed pasta, but sometimes, something fresh and crunchy can hit the spot just the same. Tortellini Greek salad offers a vibrant medley of veggies, olives, and crumbled feta cheese, packing plenty of Mediterranean-inspired flavor. For the dressing, there's a light, zesty vinaigrette, made with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and oregano. And, to keep things simple, we're using store-bought cheese tortellini, which is rinsed in cold water after boiling, for a refreshing finish.

Recipe: Tortellini Greek Salad

Being pleasingly bite-sized, tortellini makes an excellent addition to soup. Adding cooked tortellini to a bowlful of store-bought tomato soup is totally an option, but for maximum flavor and freshness, we highly recommend giving this homemade soup a try. You'll start by building an aromatic base with onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Next comes vegetable broth, and even more tomatoey goodness in the form of both puree and paste. Add a splash of heavy cream, then simmer the tortellini in the soup, before stirring in grated Parmesan and spinach leaves.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

These fun and colorful tortellini skewers are a must-try for your next summer barbecue. Once the tortellini has been cooked in a pan of boiling water, thread the stuffed pasta pieces onto a metal skewer along with a rainbow of chopped veggies. We went for zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and mushrooms. Pop the skewers on the grill, and the veg will become wonderfully caramelized, whilst the tortellini takes on an irresistibly crispy texture. To inject even more flavor, we also serve these with a tangy maple-mustard vinaigrette.

Recipe: Grilled Tortellini Skewers

When there's homemade pesto involved in a pasta dish, we're invested, and this tomato pesto tortellini certainly doesn't disappoint. The pesto is made with all of the usual suspects — basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil — but it also gets a tangy upgrade with the help of roasted cherry tomatoes. These add the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, brightening up the rich, herbaceous sauce. Once the tomato pesto has been blitzed up, you'll simply toss it in a skillet with the boiled tortellini and a splash of the pasta cooking water.

Recipe: Tomato Pesto Tortellini

Next is a soup that feels delightfully elegant, but in fact takes just 30 minutes to whip up. This sausage and spinach tortellini soup packs a good dose of Italian-inspired, savory flavor, and strikes just the right balance between heartiness and freshness. The recipe combines a sausage and tomato base with chicken broth and heavy cream, with red pepper flakes adding a touch of heat. And, we love that the pasta can be cooked directly in the soup.

Recipe: Spicy Italian Sausage And Spinach Tortellini Soup

We've covered baked and slow-cooked versions, but, you can also make stuffed pasta lasagna in a skillet. Just grab some cheese tortellini, and simmer this with a mixture of sauteed Italian sausage meat and marinara sauce. Stir in some spinach leaves, simmering until wilted, and then it's time to add the creamy element. Combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, basil, and oregano, and dollop spoonfuls of the mixture into the skillet, on top of the tomatoey tortellini. The key here is not to stir, so those wonderful pockets of cheesiness stay intact.

Recipe: 30-Minute Tortellini Skillet Lasagna

That's right, there are only three ingredients needed to craft this warming bowlful, and one of them is the tortellini. Choose your favorite store-bought pasta, whether that's one filled with meat, veg, or classic spinach and ricotta. Then, rather than boiling it in plain old water, use vegetable broth, which will become the base of the soup. To serve, spoon in some vibrant pesto sauce, and let the flavors unfold.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Pesto Tortellini Soup

Fancy something a little saucier? This recipe is another three-ingredient wonder, and comes together in around 10 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. First, you'll boil the tortellini for a couple of minutes, whilst a jar of tomato sauce is heated up in a pan. The two can then be combined, and a final splash of heavy cream adds a good dose of richness. This simple but satisfying sauce is perfect for mopping up with a slice of crusty bread.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Creamy Tortellini Dinner

A homemade chicken soup is guaranteed to warm the cockles, and one way to turn this much-loved dish into a well-rounded meal is with the addition of tortellini. The soup's base starts with a trusty trio of diced carrots, onion, and celery, which are sauteed until tender, before adding minced garlic into the mix. Pour in chicken stock, season with salt, pepper, and herbs, and the soup can be left to simmer. The tortellini joins the party towards the end of cooking, along with some shredded chicken, completing this hearty one-pot dinner.

Recipe: Simple Chicken Tortellini Soup

The tender, flaky texture of salmon makes it ideal for mixing with other creamy ingredients, and that's exactly what you'll do to make these dreamy-looking stuffed shells. Once the salmon has been cooked (poaching, baking, or pan-frying are all great methods), mash the flaked fish with ricotta, thawed frozen spinach, and mozzarella cheese. This delicious filling gets spooned into cooked jumbo shells, before everything is arranged in a baking dish with some store-bought vodka pasta sauce. Then, sprinkle the shells with more mozzarella, and bake until bubbling.

Recipe: Mediterranean Salmon Stuffed Shells

If you love a slightly crisp finish and a seriously melty layer of cheese atop your stuffed pasta, a casserole is an excellent option. This wholesome recipe features nutritious zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach, which are first sauteed with garlic until tender. For the saucy element, use a handy jar of marinara, and of course, there's the tortellini, which will need a quick boil before tossing with the veggies and sauce. This moreish mixture then goes into a baking dish, where it's topped with plenty of shredded mozzarella, and baked until fantastically gooey.

Recipe: Vegetable Tortellini Casserole

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