Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Delicious and creamy Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells baked in a flavorful marinara sauce. This comforting Italian-inspired dish features jumbo pasta shells filled with a mixture of sautéed spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs, baked to golden perfection for a hearty vegetarian meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 jumbo pasta shells (cooked al dente; cook a couple extra for breakage)
Filling
- 1–1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 12 oz skim-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1–1/4 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pasta: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the shells and set aside to cool slightly.
- Sauté spinach and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add minced garlic and cook until it starts to brown, about 1–2 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leaves wilt but remain bright green, about 3–4 minutes. The spinach should reduce by half. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.
- Mix the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed spinach and garlic mixture with the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, chopped basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly until well combined.
- Assemble the shells: Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of an 8×8-inch shallow baking dish. Carefully stuff each cooked pasta shell with a generous amount of the spinach and ricotta filling and place them in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
- Bake: Cover the stuffed shells with the remaining marinara sauce and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for an additional 10–15 minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the sauce is bubbly.
- Serve: Serve the stuffed shells warm, sprinkled with extra grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.
Notes
- Cooking a couple of extra pasta shells is helpful in case some break while boiling.
- Make sure not to overcook the spinach; it should remain bright green and slightly firm.
- Use skim-milk cheeses for a lighter version of the dish.
- If preferred, substitute fresh basil with dried basil but reduce the quantity to 1 teaspoon.
- Covering the dish with foil during the initial baking keeps the moisture in and prevents drying out.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
Keywords: spinach stuffed shells, ricotta stuffed shells, baked pasta shells, vegetarian Italian recipe, spinach pasta dish
