Description
Creamy Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells are a comforting Italian-inspired baked pasta dish featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a luscious mixture of ricotta, fresh spinach, pecorino cheese, and aromatic seasonings. Baked to bubbly perfection in marinara sauce and garnished with fresh parsley, this recipe makes a satisfying vegetarian meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 18 to 20 jumbo pasta shells
- Sea salt (for pasta water)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Filling
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (16 ounces)
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
- 2 garlic cloves (grated)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus more for taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (several grinds)
Assembly & Sauce
- 2 cups marinara sauce (plus more for serving)
- Chopped fresh parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed shells to a bubbling, golden finish.
- Steam Spinach: Place the fresh spinach in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover, and steam for about 1 minute until wilted. Transfer to a strainer, squeeze out excess water, and chop finely to prevent soggy filling.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo pasta shells and cook for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, grated pecorino, grated garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well until fully incorporated.
- Assemble Dish: Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully stuff each cooked pasta shell with the spinach and ricotta filling, then arrange them snugly over the sauce in the baking dish.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, allowing the shells to heat through and the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve hot, topped with additional marinara sauce, a sprinkle of pecorino cheese, and chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible from the cooked spinach to avoid a watery filling.
- If jumbo shells are unavailable, extra-large shells can be substituted carefully.
- For a richer flavor, use whole milk ricotta cheese.
- Leftover stuffed shells can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated covered in the oven.
- To make it vegan, substitute ricotta with a plant-based cheese and use vegan marinara sauce.
