What Are Pasta shells and How Can I Use Them?
If pasta shells have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 75 recipes to try them in.
What are pasta shells?
Pasta in the shape of seashells, commonly known as "seashells", the name derives from the Italian word for seashell (conchiglia).
It is usually sold in the plain durum wheat variety, and also in colored varieties which utilize natural pigments, such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach extract.
The shell shape of the pasta is good at catching the sauce. It is one of the most popular pasta types in the UK.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup elbow shaped (140g)Where found
Pasta shells are usually found in the pasta section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group
Pasta shells are a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much do pasta shells weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup elbow shaped | 140 grams |
| 1 cup spiral shaped | 134 grams |
| 1 cup small shells | 115 grams |
Related
Cereal Grains and Pasta
| In Chinese: | 意大利面壳 | |
| British (UK) term: | ||
| en français: | coquillettes | |
| en español: | conchas de pasta |
Recipes using pasta shells
There are 75 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Pasta Shells with Salmon, Tomatoes & Toasted Bread Crumbs
This easy and simple recipe also came out delicious. Lemon juice added a touch of refreshing taste, and the overall flavour was well balanced. Giving this dish a five star.
Fresh California Tomato Summer Soup
Fresh California tomato summer soup with diced ripe tomatoes, pasta shells, carrots, celery, onion, and basil in chicken broth. A garden-driven minestrone built for peak tomato season. Topped with Parmesan.
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Cheesy, juicy, tasty and delicious. We used all ricotta cheese, put most of the mozzarella cheese into the filling ingredients, which we really enjoyed.
Marinated Pasta Salad
This delicious and refreshing pasta salad is easy to put together, and it's best served after being chilled, perfect on a hot summer day!
Stuffed Pasta Shells
This scrumptious dish has pasta shells stuffed with spinach and ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Hearty Vegetarian Minestrone
A hearty vegetarian version of my favorite soup. It's easy to make it vegetarian by using roasted vegetable stock instead of beef stock. By adding a leftover parmesan rind (I save them in the freezer for this soup) it adds extra flavor. (optional)
Creamy Seafood Pasta Salad
A creamy and scrumptious pasta salad made with bell peppers, pasta shells and a delicious seafood mix.
Asparagus Chicken Pasta with Parmesan
This easy and delicious dish is an excellent candidate for a busy weeknight meal. It doesn't take long to make, and it's well balanced on both flavour and nutrition.
Skillet Macaroni & Cheese with Broccoli & Mushrooms
Cheesy and creamy mac 'n cheese with the added texture and flavor of mushrooms and broccoli, all in one skillet for easy cleanup. Using a skillet keeps it quicker than a slow baked version as well.
Mix & Match Casserole
An easy yet delicious recipe. I followed the recipe, and used whatever I had on hand. Then just mixed them up, and baked in the oven until the cheese was nicely browned. I let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes, then served it. Overall a great dish.
Fresh Tomato-Vegetable Soup
A very tasty and light soup, and also packed with goodness. It certainly helped me use up some of the garden-fresh tomatoes that tasted amazing, and it warmed me up instantly, an ideal soup for fall.
Feta Stuffed Pasta Shells
Pasta shells stuffed with crumbled feta, black olives, red pepper, and walnuts. A Mediterranean-style finger food appetizer ready in 15 minutes.
Minnestrone Soup
Hearty ground beef minestrone soup with kidney beans, carrots, green beans, lima beans, and pasta shells in a beefy tomato broth seasoned with Italian herbs.
Hunter's Minestrone
Hunter's minestrone with cubed beef, kidney beans, pasta shells, and red wine simmered for four hours in three stages. A hearty, meaty Italian soup built for cold weather.
Summer Pasta & Lentil Salad
Hearty summer pasta and lentil salad with green lentils, pasta shells, crunchy veggies, cherry tomatoes, and a garlicky Dijon vinaigrette. Topped with pine nuts for a protein-packed potluck favorite.
Pasta Nicoise
Pasta Nicoise salad with shell pasta, fresh tomatoes, steamed green beans, black olives, and capers tossed in a garlicky olive oil vinaigrette. Ready in 20 minutes.
Macaroni & Pea Salad
Cold macaroni and pea salad with sweet red peppers, dill pickles, and pimentos in a creamy mayo dressing. Classic potluck side dish that's better the next day.
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Hearty minestrone soup simmers Italian sausage with romano beans, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, and small pasta shells in a chicken broth base. Loaded one-pot Italian dinner soup.
Wedding Soup
Hearty Italian wedding soup simmered for hours with beef shanks, tiny meatballs, vegetables, tomatoes, and small pasta shells. Topped with grated Parmesan for a soul-warming bowl.
Mix n' Match Easy Pasta Salad
An easy pasta salad that uses the fresh veggies you have on hand and some Italian dressing so you can put it together quickly, we love quick and easy recipes.
Stuffed Shells with Fennel Sauce
Pasta shells stuffed with tofu, mozzarella, mushrooms, and red pepper, baked under a fresh fennel and tomato sauce. A lighter, plant-forward spin on stuffed shells.
Shrimp & Pasta Creole
Creole shrimp and crawfish pasta in a brandy cream sauce with orange zest, tarragon, and a splash of Louisiana chicory coffee. A rich, romantic dinner for two in 30 minutes.
Minestrone Pasta
Minestrone pasta salad with kidney beans, chickpeas, carrots, bell pepper, and Parmesan tossed in Italian dressing. Served warm or cold in 25 minutes.
Pasta Alla Checca Pasta with Steeped Tomato
Pasta alla checca, a Roman no-cook summer pasta sauce of ripe tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, fresh basil, and garlic steeped in olive oil for hours. No stove needed for the sauce.
Pasta Salad with Chicken & Artichokes
Chicken and artichoke pasta salad with lemon-herb mayonnaise, toasted almonds, and a dash of hot sauce. A cold pasta salad thats great for potlucks and make-ahead lunches.
