Description
Classic Italian stuffed shells filled with a creamy spinach and three-cheese mixture, baked in a rich marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a comforting family dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 egg
Vegetables & Seasonings
- 4 cups spinach
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce & Garnish
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook shells: Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water for about 13 minutes, one minute less than al dente as per package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool them down and prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Sauté spinach and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and toss to coat, cooking until wilted for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, dried basil, parsley, oregano, half of the mozzarella, most of the Parmesan (reserve some for topping), cream cheese, and egg. Fold in the cooled spinach and garlic mixture until well incorporated.
- Assemble shells: Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Stuff each cooled pasta shell with the cheese and spinach filling, then arrange them in the dish.
- Add sauce and cheese topping: Pour remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and reserved Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm, ideally with garlic bread topped with cheese.
Notes
- Boil extra pasta shells to account for any that may break during cooking or draining.
- Spinach is optional but adds flavor and nutrition; frozen spinach can be used if thawed and well-drained.
- For a meat variation, swap marinara for a meat sauce recipe.
- Shred cheese from blocks for better melting and flavor than pre-shredded packages.
- Use low-moisture whole milk mozzarella for best melting results.
- Recommended brands: Dragone mozzarella, BelGioioso Parmesan, Philadelphia cream cheese, and Rao’s marinara sauce.
- Recipe yields about 18 stuffed shells, serving 6 people (3 shells per serving).
- Prepare ahead by assembling and refrigerating up to 1 day or freezing up to 3 months; adjust baking time accordingly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container; refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 shells
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
