Description
A delicious and comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring tender jumbo pasta shells stuffed with creamy ricotta and spinach filling, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Oven and Pasta – Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil salted water in a large pot, cook jumbo shells until al dente (8-10 minutes), then drain gently.
- Step 2: Make Filling – In a bowl, mix ricotta, chopped spinach, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Step 3: Assemble Shells – Stuff each shell with about one tablespoon of the filling and arrange them in a baking dish lined with half of the marinara sauce.
- Step 4: Add Sauce and Cheese – Pour remaining marinara sauce over the shells and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Step 5: Bake – Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Notes
- Cook pasta shells just until al dente to prevent them from falling apart when stuffing
- Squeeze excess water from spinach after chopping to prevent watery filling
- Use a spoon or piping bag to fill shells evenly and prevent overstuffing
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking to allow filling to set properly
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (5 shells)
- Calories: 485 calories
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1250mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: spinach ricotta stuffed shells, stuffed pasta, Italian recipe, ricotta shells, baked pasta, comfort food