Description
This creamy spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe features jumbo pasta shells filled with a flavorful mixture of fresh spinach, ricotta, pecorino, and aromatic seasonings, baked to bubbly perfection in marinara sauce. It’s a comforting Italian-inspired vegetarian dish perfect for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta and Filling
- 18 to 20 jumbo pasta shells
- Sea salt (for pasta water)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- 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)
For Assembly and Serving
- 2 cups marinara sauce (plus more for serving)
- Chopped fresh parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to ensure it’s at the optimal temperature for baking the stuffed shells until bubbly and heated through.
- Steam Spinach: Place the fresh spinach in a steamer basket over a pot with about 1 inch of simmering water. Cover and steam for about 1 minute until wilted. Transfer to a strainer, squeeze out excess water, and chop the spinach finely.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil lightly to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, grated pecorino, grated garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- 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 the shells snugly in the dish over the marinara sauce.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to meld flavors and heat the filling through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the stuffed shells hot, topped with additional marinara sauce, a sprinkle of pecorino cheese, and chopped fresh parsley as garnish.
Notes
- To prevent the pasta shells from sticking after cooking, drizzle them with olive oil while still warm.
- You can prepare the filling a day ahead and refrigerate it for enhanced flavor melding.
- Ensure to squeeze out as much water as possible from the steamed spinach to avoid watery filling.
- Use fresh lemon zest and garlic to brighten the filling’s flavor profile.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute jumbo shells with gluten-free pasta shells.
