Stuffed Shells Recipe with Spinach and Ricotta
This stuffed shells recipe with spinach and ricotta is a cozy baked pasta dinner made with jumbo shells, creamy ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh spinach, and spaghetti sauce. It’s easy enough for a weeknight and special enough for guests.
Servings: 8
Cost: $10
Equipment
- 1 baking dish
- piping bag optional
- whisk
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
Ingredients
- 8 ounce jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups Spaghetti Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta shells to al dente, approximately 8 minutes, drain and set aside. Drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, half the mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and nutmeg. Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce over bottom of baking dish.
- Fill a pastry bag or zip top bag with the cheese mixture and pipe the cheese into the shells to stuff them.
- Arrange the shells in a single layer in the baking dish.
- Spoon remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover and bake about 10 minutes longer, until bubbly and cheese begins to brown.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead: Assemble the stuffed shells up to 2 days in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Storage: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or cover and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through. Add a little extra sauce if needed to keep the shells from drying out.
- Spinach swap: Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh. Thaw it completely and squeeze out excess moisture before mixing into the filling.
- Shell tip: Cook the shells just to al dente so they stay sturdy enough to fill.
Nutrition
Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1171IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 375mg | Iron: 2mg