Description
Delicious Stuffed Shells recipe featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory mixture of ricotta, spinach, and pecorino cheese, baked in a flavorful marinara sauce. This comforting Italian-inspired dish makes a perfect family dinner that's both hearty and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Pasta Shells
- 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
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Sauce and Garnish
- 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 later.
- Steam Spinach: Place the fresh spinach in a steamer basket over a pot with 1-inch of simmering water. Cover and steam for about 1 minute until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and squeeze out all excess water, then chop finely.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to prevent the shells from sticking together.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped spinach with ricotta cheese, grated pecorino, grated garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well incorporated.
- Assemble Dish: Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the cheese and spinach filling and place them seam-side up in the baking dish.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbling.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with additional pecorino cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot with extra marinara sauce on the side.
Notes
- To prevent shells from breaking, handle them gently when stuffing.
- Make sure to squeeze excess water out of the spinach to avoid watery filling.
- For a creamier filling, you can add an egg to the ricotta mixture.
- Marinara sauce can be store-bought or homemade for best flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
