Deconstruct Stuffed Shells For An Easy Weeknight Dinner Alternative

You've been there — it's a busy Tuesday and the day got away from you. You look at the clock, see that it's 5:47 p.m., and realize you haven't even thought about dinner yet. This common scenario is exactly why we're all in need of some easy weeknight dinner recipes in our arsenal.

Stuffed shells may not seem like one of those "easy" recipes. There are large pasta shells to be par-boiled, and a decadent filling to be made, and then each of those edible bowls must be individually stuffed and nestled in a sauce before finally baking. That's a dish that sounds like it requires some effort, right?

Not if you deconstruct it. We've got your next easy weeknight dinner go-to: Stuffed shells without the stuffing. That means all the deliciousness of this classic dish, with half the work. We'll walk you through how to throw this deconstructed dinner together, and you'll never make stuffed stuffed shells again.

The best part about America's Test Kitchen's recipe for Unstuffed Shells – aside from the obvious fact that you don't have to stuff them — is that this take on stuffed shells doesn't require any par-boiling, and it can all be done with one pan. It's an easy, streamlined version of a family favorite that will still deliver everything you love about the dish.

The first step is to mix your ricotta and parmesan cheese filling and set it aside. Then you'll sauté some vegetables until they are soft, and add garlic and any seasonings or spices. ATK uses butternut squash, leeks, and cayenne pepper in its recipe, but feel free to unstuff your shells with whatever you happen to have on hand such as onions, spinach, eggplant, zucchini, or even ground meat, they all will work well. Add some dry wine and let it evaporate.

Next, you'll mix in some water, heavy cream, and the pasta. And since you're not actually stuffing the shells, you can feel free to use a different type of pasta here too, like orecchiette or ziti. From there, simmer and stir for about 15 minutes until the pasta cooks through. Then you'll dollop on the cheese mixture, sprinkle with some more parmesan, and bake the skillet in the oven for just five minutes or so to cook and brown the cheese. And that's all there is to it — your deconstructed dish is ready to devour.

Deconstructing a dish is a great way to remove some time and effort from dinner-making, without compromising the flavor or complexity of the meal. Unstuffed shells is a perfect example, and if you need some more weeknight dinner ideas, there's more where that came from.

Do you love sushi but are too intimidated to roll and cut it at home? Try a deconstructed version, and assemble a sushi bowl with all of your favorite ingredients. Use any combination of rice, kale, avocado, carrots, edamame, cucumber, and a few ounces of sushi-grade tuna or salmon drizzled with some soy sauce, sesame oil, or sriracha mayo. Enjoy it with some seaweed sheets and it'll taste like an inside-out sushi roll.

Or how about some deconstructed chicken pot pie? To make this classic comfort meal easy peasy, you can use already-cooked rotisserie chicken and bake up some puff pastry for dipping, or even make a chicken pot pie soup in the instant pot. Whether it's tacos, burritos, lasagna, or egg rolls, there are so many favorite dishes you can deconstruct for fuss-free weeknight dinners. Deconstruct now, thank us later.