Description
These Baked Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells are a comforting and cheesy vegetarian dish featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and sautéed spinach. Baked in marinara until golden and bubbly, it’s a hearty meal perfect for any night.
Ingredients
- 16 jumbo pasta shells (plus a few extra in case of breakage)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 12 oz skim-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook pasta shells al dente according to package directions, drain, and let cool slightly.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic for 1 minute until lightly browned. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3–4 minutes. Let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cooked spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, salt, and pepper until fully blended.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Stuff each pasta shell with the ricotta-spinach filling and arrange in the baking dish.
- Top with remaining marinara sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is lightly browned and sauce is bubbling.
- Serve warm with extra grated Parmesan on top.
Notes
- Substitute fresh basil with Italian seasoning or oregano if needed.
- Use whole milk ricotta for extra richness.
- Try roasted garlic marinara for added flavor.
- Add red pepper flakes for heat.
- Frozen spinach can be used—thaw and squeeze out moisture first.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 630mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
