Description
These Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells are the ultimate Italian comfort food! Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella mixture, baked in marinara sauce, and topped with melted cheese. This easy vegetarian dinner is perfect for family meals, meal prep, or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
- 2 cups (15 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 ½ cups marinara sauce, divided
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 9-11 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Lay them out on a baking sheet so they don’t stick together.
- Preheat your oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, squeezed-dry spinach, beaten egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until well combined and evenly distributed.
- Assemble the dish: Spread 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce across the bottom of your 9×13-inch baking dish. This prevents the shells from sticking and adds flavor to the bottom.
- Stuff the shells: Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, fill each cooked shell with about 2-3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Don’t overstuff—you want the filling to stay inside! Place each stuffed shell opening-side-up in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, making sure to get sauce between and around each shell. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Finish uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden brown on top.
- Rest and serve: Let the stuffed shells rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set slightly and makes serving easier. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- Shell count: You’ll have some extra shells in case any break during cooking. Plan on 3-4 shells per person for main dish servings.
- Squeeze that spinach: The most common mistake is not removing enough water from the spinach. Squeeze it in a kitchen towel or paper towels until no more water comes out.
- Make it saucy: If you love extra sauce, use up to 4 cups of marinara. You can never have too much sauce!
- Cheese variations: Try adding some crumbled goat cheese or fontina to the filling for extra flavor.
- Spicy kick: Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to the filling or use arrabbiata sauce instead of regular marinara.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 stuffed shells
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 920g
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg