Description
A nostalgic dish of jumbo pasta shells filled with creamy ricotta, tender spinach, and baked in marinara sauce until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 20–25 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring salted water to a boil and cook jumbo pasta shells al dente. Drain and spread on a tray to cool.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, egg, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until uniform.
- Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture and place seam-side up in the baking dish.
- Spread half of the marinara sauce in the baking dish, then arrange the stuffed shells on top.
- Spoon remaining marinara sauce over shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 5–10 minutes, garnish with parsley or basil, and serve.
Notes
Use well-squeezed spinach to prevent a watery filling. This dish can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: stuffed shells, Italian comfort food, spinach ricotta, baked pasta, vegetarian recipes