These Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells are full of ricotta, spinach, and mozzarella and are tacky and comforting!
Baked Pasta dishes fill the home with an unbelievable aroma as they prepare dinner. Simply add a easy salad and a loaf of bread for a tasty meal!
Why You Should Make
- Our daughter, Katie, is a self-proclaimed choosy eater. And I’m right here to second that! This is without doubt one of the few dishes she is going to eat that incorporates precise greens.
- I discovered the stuffed shells recipe on the again of a field of pasta a few years in the past. You realize that corporations put their BEST recipes on their merchandise so you’ll hold buying them!
- I began including a field of frozen, chopped spinach to the filling and this dish turned one in every of our favourite meatless meals.
- In the event you’d like a heartier pasta recipe, attempt these Rooster Stuffed Shells from Savory Experiments!
Ingredient Notes:
- Kitchen Staples – Salt, Freshly Floor Black Pepper
- Jumbo Pasta Shells (affiliate hyperlink) – Manicotti shells can be utilized in a pinch
- Ricotta cheese – Complete Milk Ricotta
- Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded
- Grated Parmesan (not pictured) – Use actual Parmigiano Reggiano, not the inexperienced can that’s on the shop cabinets.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach – A ten-ounce field, defrosted and squeezed very dry
- Marinara Sauce (affiliate hyperlink) – A very good high quality store-bought or do-it-yourself marinara
The way to Make
Professional Suggestions
These stuffed pasta shells are vegetarian and make a terrific, hearty meatless meal. Like lasagna, these stuffed shells freeze nicely, so you possibly can hold a stash within the freezer for these nights you don’t have time to make dinner.
- PRO-Tip: I make these with jumbo pasta shells, but when your market doesn’t have them in inventory you possibly can substitute manicotti shells, that are tubes of pasta. It is going to take multiple field of manicotti to make use of up all of the filling.
- A field of frozen chopped spinach is what makes these stuffed shells with spinach. Defrost the spinach within the fridge in a single day or place the field in a bowl of heat water to rush the method alongside. It have to be squeezed dry so the filling isn’t watery. PRO-Tip: You need to use a potato ricer (although it’s a ache to wash!) to squeeze the spinach dry or place it in a colander and press the liquid out, however I typically use my clear fingers to do the squeezing.
- The method is simple. Cook dinner the pasta, drain it, and separate the shells on a baking sheet when you put together the filling. The pasta will stick collectively for those who drain it and depart it within the pan. Combine the filling elements, then stuff, place in a casserole dish with some marinara or leftover spaghetti sauce, and bake.
- PRO-Tip: I prefer to hold a stash of leftover spaghetti sauce in my freezer for recipes like this. If it’s solely 2 cups, it’s no massive deal, even when the recipe requires 3 cups. It is going to nonetheless be scrumptious. I additionally use it to make a fast Rooster Parmesan.
- PRO-Tip: In the event you can’t discover ricotta, you possibly can substitute cottage cheese. You would possibly contemplate mixing the cottage cheese to create extra of a ricotta-like consistency.
Steadily Requested Questions
Usually, the reply is sure. Pasta wants plenty of liquid to go from laborious to al dente (the proper “to the tooth” texture). In the event you use no-boil lasagna noodles, they don’t require fairly as a lot liquid to rehydrate. However for these stuffed shells, the pasta have to be cooked first.
Observe the recipe, however masking the baking dish with a sheet of greased foil will hold the pasta from drying out whereas within the oven. In order for you the cheese topping to brown barely, the foil could be eliminated over the last 10-Quarter-hour of baking.
Sure! Simply use a meaty pasta sauce that incorporates floor beef or sausage. Or combine in some shredded hen or cooked hamburger or sausage with the filling.
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Substances
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 2 kilos ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling over the dish
- 3 eggs
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
- 10-ounce package deal of frozen chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed dry
- 3 cups marinara sauce (jarred or do-it-yourself)
Directions
- Cook dinner pasta based on package deal directions, drain, and funky whereas getting ready the filling.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set it apart.
- Mix cheeses, eggs, seasonings, and spinach. Combine nicely. Unfold a skinny layer of sauce over the underside of the baking dish.
- Fill every shell with about 2 tablespoons of filling and place within the ready dish.
- Cowl shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.
- Cowl the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until scorching and bubbly.
Notes
Freeze leftover spaghetti/pink sauce so you may make these stuffed shells once you’re within the temper!
Really useful Merchandise
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Vitamin Info:
Yield:
6
Serving Dimension:
1
Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 551Whole Fats: 26gSaturated Fats: 14gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 10gLdl cholesterol: 172mgSodium: 1393mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 37g
