Description
These Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells are a delicious and comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy mixture of spinach, ricotta, parmesan, and herbs, baked in marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a family dinner or meal prep, this recipe is easy to prepare and can be made ahead or frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Filling
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil (optional)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (optional)
Shells
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
- 16 ounces pasta sauce (marinara or tomato sauce)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh pesto (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare it for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook pasta shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions but reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes to keep them firm. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool completely, and lightly drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare spinach: Drain the thawed spinach thoroughly by squeezing out as much excess water as possible to avoid watery filling.
- Sauté aromatics: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using). Sauté until softened and starting to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the drained spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Make filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated parmesan, kosher salt, black pepper, nutmeg, fresh basil, and thyme. Fold in the slightly cooled spinach and sautéed onion mixture until evenly incorporated.
- Assemble shells: Pour about half of the pasta sauce into the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Fill each jumbo shell with roughly 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta mixture and arrange them in the baking dish.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the arranged stuffed shells and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is fully melted and lightly golden.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Garnish with fresh pesto if desired and serve immediately.
- Storage: Store leftover shells covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving.
Notes
- Prep in Advance: You can assemble the stuffed shells fully in the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Let the baking dish come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking to prevent cracking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
- Freeze: Assemble the shells in a freezer-safe dish with a lid and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and allow to come to room temperature before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to baking time if needed.
- Note on pasta quantity: This recipe uses half a box of jumbo shells (16 shells). To use a full box (32 shells), simply double the filling and use a larger baking dish along with a bit more sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell
- Calories: 146 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 419 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
