Description
A delicious and comforting recipe featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy spinach and ricotta mixture, baked in a savory tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a wholesome family dinner or meal prep.
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
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh pesto (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook the pasta shells: Boil the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions, but reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes to keep them firm. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Lightly drizzle with olive oil to keep shells separate.
- Prepare the spinach: Drain the thawed spinach thoroughly by squeezing out excess water to avoid a watery filling.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Sauté until softened and starting to brown. Add the drained spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Mix the filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, basil, and thyme. Fold in the sautéed spinach mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
- Prepare baking dish: Pour about half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish.
- Stuff the shells: Fill each cooked jumbo pasta shell with 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta filling. Arrange the filled shells evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Add remaining sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed shells, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella 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 melted and slightly golden.
- Serve: Remove from oven and garnish with fresh pesto if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Prep in Advance: Fully assemble the stuffed shells in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Allow the dish to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent cracking. Baking time may increase by 10-15 minutes.
- Freeze: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let the dish come to room temperature before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to baking time as needed.
- To prevent sticking, ensure shells are lightly coated with olive oil after cooking and rinsing.
- Use whole milk ricotta for a creamier filling; part-skim can be substituted for a lighter version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 shell
- Calories: 146
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 419mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.001g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
