Pasta Kitchen Tips
Pasta shells have a shape built for holding on to flavor. Their curved, cup-like form is made to cradle sauce, cheese, or filling in every bite, which is part of why they've stayed a pantry staple for so long. Barilla® shells come in three sizes, from a small everyday shape to one built for stuffing, and each size brings something a little different to the table.
Medium shells work well in salads and baked dishes. Large shells bring a heartier bite to sauces and bakes. Jumbo shells are built to be filled and baked, the kind of dish that turns a weeknight dinner into something special. Knowing which size fits which recipe makes it easier to pick the right box for whatever you're making.
Types of Pasta Shells
Barilla offers three shell sizes in the Classic Blue Box line: Jumbo Shells, Large Shells, and Medium Shells. Each is made from durum wheat semolina for that classic al dente bite, and each size is shaped to suit different kinds of meals, from quick pasta salads to slow-baked comfort food.
Medium Pasta Shells
Medium Shells take their shape from the seaside towns of Naples and Genoa, where the curved form first drew comparisons to a seashell. The graceful, ridged shape is designed to hold on to sauce, which makes it a natural match for tomato-based sauces, creamy dairy sauces, and hearty meat sauces alike. It's also a favorite for pasta salads and a classic macaroni and cheese, where the shell's little cup shape catches cheese sauce in every bite.
Medium Pasta Shells Recipes
Barilla has plenty of recipes built around Medium Shells, from a light seafood salad to a rich, cheesy bacon mac and cheese. Others lean fresh and simple, pairing the shells with cherry tomatoes and basil or tossing them with baby arugula and toasted hazelnuts for something a little different.
Large Pasta Shells
Large Shells are a bigger version of Medium Shells, with the same shellfish-inspired shape scaled up for heartier dishes. The larger size holds more sauce and filling in every bite, which makes it a good fit for vegetable-based sauces, meat sauces, and tomato sauces that need something substantial to carry them. It also holds up well in baked dishes, where the extra surface area means more room for cheese and breadcrumbs to settle in.
Large Pasta Shells Recipes
Large Shells show up across a range of Barilla® recipes, from bright pasta salads with feta and roasted vegetables to indulgent baked dishes like truffle mac and cheese or a brie and cranberry version built for the holidays.
Jumbo Pasta Shells
Jumbo Shells take the shellfish-inspired shape to its biggest size yet, with a wide, graceful, concave form built specifically for stuffing. That deep cup shape is made to hold generous fillings, from ricotta and mozzarella to meat and vegetables, and it bakes into a dish that feels made for a gathering. Stuffed pasta shells are a staple for family dinners and holiday tables alike, thanks to a shape that turns simple ingredients into something that looks and tastes special.
Jumbo Pasta Shells Recipes
Jumbo Shells are the star of several classic Barilla® recipes, from a traditional stuffed pasta shells recipe with ricotta to one dressed up with asparagus, prosciutto, and a Three Cheese Sauce. There's even an air fryer take, for anyone looking for an easier route to the same cozy, cheesy result.
