Who doesn’t love a quick and easy recipe full of creamy ricotta and spinach, tucked into jumbo pasta shells and smothered in marinara sauce?
I love making stuffed shells for family and friends. They make for such a fun presentation. And with the way everyone fusses over them you would think I spent hours in the kitchen. But truth be told, they are super simple!
They are not at all as labor intense as they might appear at a glance. The trick is filling the shells using a piping bag or gallon-sized zip-top bag, not a spoon. It makes it a breeze.
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells work great for feeding a crowd or just your family. They can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
I love the fact I can make baked spinach and ricotta stuffed shells from frozen. It makes those nights when I don’t plan ahead so much easier. A quick text and anyone can pop the foil-covered pan into the oven at a moment’s notice.
Frozen spinach is so easy to incorporate into baked dishes. It is an easy way to sneak in some extra vegetables, too. The biggest thing is getting the excess water out. To do this I like to place my frozen spinach in a colander or strainer in the sink and let it thaw.
It amazes me every time how compact spinach can become. From the big fluffy bag to the tiny frozen brick.
Once it has thawed press to remove additional water. As a last step place the spinach on a paper towel and squeeze to remove that last bit of water. Just make sure you fluff it back apart with your hands or a fork prior to adding it to the dish, it makes the mixing so much easier.
Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Ricotta
Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells with frozen spinach go together quite easily. Boil your shells according to the directions on the box but stop 3-4 minutes sooner than the box recommends.
The al dente pasta will finish cooking when you bake the stuff shells. Not to mention a little bit of rigidity to the past will make the stuffing part easier.
For the filling you can dump everything together and mix. I like to start with the eggs and ricotta first and get them completely combined. Then I add everything else before putting it into a bag for piping.
After spreading the marinara sauce into the baking dish. Fill your shells and line them up in the pan. Jarred or store-bought sauce works great. I usually have my homemade sauce on hand so I use that.
Top with more marinara sauce and cheese. You can bake the shells immediately, refrigerate them for up to 5 days, or freeze them to enjoy on a busy night later.
Ricotta and spinach stuffed shells
Ingredients
- jumbo pasta shells
- kosher salt
- eggs
- ricotta cheese
- frozen chopped spinach thawed and well-squeezed to remove water
- finely grated parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley finely chopped
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- marinara sauce
How To Make Stuffed Shells with Ricotta
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shells, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain well and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. Drain again.
- In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Stir in the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, parsley, and 1½ cups mozzarella. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the filling to a gallon-size freezer bag.
- Spread 1½ cups marinara sauce in a 9×13 baking dish. Snip off a corner of the bag with the filling and squeeze the filling into the shells, arranging 20-24 filled shells in the baking dish in a single layer. Top with the remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and bubbling on the edges, 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking about 10 minutes more, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has fully melted.
- Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Can I Make Stuffed Shells Ahead of Time?
To refrigerate and serve later: Before baking, the dish can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated. Bake from the fridge, covered at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, until heated through.
To freeze and serve later: Before baking, the dish can be prepared in a freezer-to-ovenproof baking dish, covered tightly, and frozen for up to 3 months.
Bake from frozen (no need to thaw) at 375°F, covered, until heated through in the center, and bubbling on the edges, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until any liquid on the edges dries up, 15-20 minutes more.
Pasta and vegetables can be a filling and delicious change up from the typical pasta and meat sauce (although you won’t see me turn that down either).
Broccoli Pasta with garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese is a light, flavorful main dish or a perfect side with grilled chicken or steak.
Sweet bell peppers and juicy tomatoes are tossed with angel hair pasta and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese in this flavorful Bell Pepper Pasta.
This Spinach Pasta Salad is a tangy, garlicky, peppery pasta salad that I can’t seem to stop making and eating on repeat.
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 20-24 jumbo pasta shells about half of a 9-oz box
- kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces package frozen chopped spinach thawed and well-squeezed to remove water
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving about 3 ounces
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese about 8 ounces
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups marinara sauce homemade or store bought
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shells, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain well and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. Drain again.
- In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Stir in the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, parsley, and 1½ cups mozzarella. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the filling to a gallon-size freezer bag.
- Spread 1½ cups marinara sauce in a 9×13 baking dish. Snip off a corner of the bag with the filling and squeeze the filling into the shells, arranging 20-24 filled shells in the baking dish in a single layer. Top with the remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and bubbling on the edges, 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking about 10 minutes more, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has fully melted.
- Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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