Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Do you love Italian Comfort Food? Of course, everyone loves stuffed pasta shells. These rich and cheesy spinach and ricotta stuffed shells fit the bill. These are a delicious meatless option that the entire family will love. With jumbo pasta shells, mozzarella cheese, ground beef, and delicious ricotta cheese.
Fresh Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Do you love Italian Comfort Food? So do I!
Growing up, I never really enjoyed eating spinach, but if it was placed in something I would eat it up. This Fresh Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells is so delicious that you hardly notice the spinach. This dish could probably serve more people (at least six moderate eaters), but there are no boundaries when pasta shells appear at the table.
It is a comfort food extravaganza. Simply put, we easily clean up the whole pan. It just tastes “like more”.
Now fast forward 30 years….. and I am not feeding my family a whole lot of spinach I especially like incorporating it into recipes for a healthy boost. In fact, if you haven’t had a chance to try my Healthy Hidden Veggie Whoopie Pies it is a MUST. And my kids haven’t gotten the slightest clue they are eating healthy veggies.
Now as easy as this may seem, this dish is perfect for company, bring as a take a long dish for a get-together or doable for a weeknight. The result is a healthy and hearty baked pasta dish that makes for a crowd-pleasing vegetarian or meatless Monday meal.
Let’s Get Cooking
Ingredients Needed
- 16 jumbo pasta shells + a few extra shells to allow for breakage while pasta is cooking
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 4 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves roughly chopped
- 12 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
How to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta al dente, according to directions on the packaging. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown (less than 2 minutes). Be careful: browned garlic can easily become burnt garlic.
Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves begin to wilt but still bright green in color. The spinach should be reduced by half. Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
Pour ½ cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 9×9 baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell generously with spinach and ricotta mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown, and the sauce begins to bubble. Another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
Don’t forget to serve with garlic bread and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Fresh Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Fresh Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Do you love Italian Comfort Food? Of course, everyone loves stuffed pasta shells. These rich and cheesy spinach and ricotta stuffed shells fit the bill. These are a delicious meatless option that the entire family will love.
Ingredients
- 16 jumbo pasta shells + a few extra shells to allow for breakage while pasta is cooking
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 4 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves roughly chopped
- 12 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta al dente, according to directions on the packaging. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown (less than 2 minutes). Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves begin to wilt but still bright green in color. The spinach should be reduced by half. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg and salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour ½ cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 9x9 baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell generously with spinach and ricotta mixture, and place in baking dish.
- Cover with remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins to bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
Notes
This dish can be made a day in advance. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook – use the same temperature, but add 10-15 additional minutes to cooking time.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Trans Fat: 0g
Other Comfort Food Recipes
Fajita Style Easy Chicken And Rice Recipe
Easy Weeknight Barbecue Meatloaf
Eating out is easy, and it usually tastes delicious, but it’s expensive. Making this meal at home will save you money. Add this recipe to your weekly meal plan.
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