Spinach Stuffed Shells: A Delicious and Nutritious Snack
This recipe for spinach stuffed shells features tender, jumbo pasta shells filled to the skirt with a tasty mixture of garlic, parmesan, ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, and Italian seasonings. Covered with a layer of bubbly marinara sauce, this is the most succulent way to load up on carbs!
Don’t get me wrong, I love all pasta, but there’s something well-nigh stuffed pasta that makes it so irresistible! Here are a few increasingly of my favorite recipes that you should try next: creamy Tuscan ravioli, manicotti, and three cheese stuffed shells!
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good stuffed shell? They’re the perfect repletion supplies – cheesy, saucy, and packed with flavor. But let’s moreover be honest, sometimes they can finger like a project. Between humid the pasta, sautéing the filling, and layering everything just right, it’s unbearable to make you want to order takeout. Enter this spinach stuffed shells recipe – it’s like a hug on a plate, but without the fuss.
This recipe is seriously easy. Everything comes together in a flash! The filling is a dreamy philharmonic of ricotta, parmesan, and garlic, and the Italian seasoning adds a touch of magic. Plus, who can resist melty mozzarella on top? This dish is guaranteed to please plane the pickiest eaters in your family (ahem, my youngest who claims she doesn’t like spinach… but magically devours these shells every time). So ditch the Italian takeout menus and whip up this easy, cheesy masterpiece. You can plane whip up a batch of these copycat Olive Garden breadsticks to well-constructed the meal. Your taste buds (and your family) will thank you!
Don’t Worry!
This recipe is Picky Eater Approved!
Ingredient List
A lineup of Italian essentials! Each ingredient gives this dish wondrous savor that makes it so irresistible. Plane your picky eaters will be begging for seconds.
- Jumbo Shells: These are your edible vessels, ready to be stuffed with cheesy goodness.
- Spinach: Leafy greens for the win! Frozen or fresh, both work. Just remember, frozen needs a quick squeeze to wring out any glut water. (You don’t want your dish to end up too watery.)
- Ricotta Cheese: Creamy, dreamy wiring for the filling. Full-fat is best, but part-skim works in a pinch. Just add a pinch of uneaten salt if you go light.
- Parmesan Cheese: Salty, nutty dial of flavor. Sprinkle some in the filling, then pile on increasingly for that irresistible cheesy crust.
- Garlic: So your spinach stuffed shells have the weightier savory flavor. Don’t skimp! Freshly minced is best, but jarred works too if you’re in a pinch.
- Italian Seasoning: Tasty herbs in a bottle, like oregano, basil, and thyme.
- Salt & Pepper: Trusty savor boosters. Add to taste so the savor is to your liking!
- Marinara Sauce: Some sauciness to imbricate the shells with- stocky or smooth, archetype or spicy, whatever you want! You can moreover try making your own.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Stretchy, gooey, melty heaven. Pile it on top of your spinach stuffed shells for that golden brown, bubbly finish. No pasta torch is well-constructed without it!
- Extra Parmesan for Garnish: Because, well, increasingly cheese is unchangingly a good idea. Plus, it makes your dish squint fancy (even if it took thirty minutes to whip up).
How to Make Spinach Stuffed Shells
Spinach stuffed shells are one of my new favorite dinners to make for my family. They melt up in 30 minutes and are so succulent every time!
- Preheat Oven, Prepare Sultry Dish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then spray a 9×13 sultry dish with cooking spray. Melt the pasta shells equal to the package directions and then set aside.
- Cook Spinach: In a skillet over medium upper heat, add 1 tablespoon of water and the spinach and melt until the spinach has wilted and the water has evaporated.
- Filling Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Once everything is well combined, stir in the spinach.
- Add Sauce to Pan, Stuff Shells: Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the sultry dish. Stuff each shell with the ricotta filling, well-nigh a tablespoon, and unify them in a single layer, filling side up, in the pan.
- Bake and Enjoy: Pour the remaining marinara sauce virtually and on the spinach stuffed shells. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the shells and torch for well-nigh 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is soapy and browning.
Pick Your Sauce!
This recipe calls for marinara but these shells would go unconfined with an Alfredo Sauce, Creamy Pesto, or your favorite pasta sauce!
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Storing Leftovers
These spinach stuffed shells store beautifully. Just let them cool, then imbricate the pan tight with plastic wrap or pop them in an snapped container. They’ll alimony in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can Spinach Stuffed Shells Be Frozen?
Yes, they sure can! Wrap the pan well and they’ll last up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then torch covered at 375°F until bubbly and hot. The microwave moreover works for individual portions – just add a splash of water or sauce to alimony everything moist.
Preparing Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells Ahead of Time
Assemble and fill the shells the night before, cover, and refrigerate. When dinnertime rolls around, just pop your sultry dish in the oven and melt as usual. Voila! Instant repletion supplies with zero last-minute stress.
More Wondrous Baked Pasta Dishes
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Spinach Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 8 ounces spinach
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus increasingly for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 9X13 sultry dish with cooking spray. Melt the pasta shells equal to the package directions and set aside.
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In a skillet over medium upper heat, add 1 tablespoon of water and the spinach and melt until the spinach has wilted and the water has evaporated.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Once everything is well combined, stir in the spinach.
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Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the sultry dish. Stuff each shell with the ricotta filling, well-nigh a tablespoon, and unify them in a single layer, filling side up, in the pan.
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Pour the remaining marinara sauce virtually and on the shells. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the shells and torch for well-nigh 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is soapy and browning.
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