Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
In this easy spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe, three cheeses combine with quick sauteed spinach, marinara sauce, and jumbo pasta shells for a hearty and comforting, crowd-pleasing vegetarian dinner.
Growing up, I was one of those bizarre children who actually liked eating vegetables. For a long time, spinach was my very favorite, and I would eat big bowls of it simply steamed, or sometimes with a little sprinkling of cheese.
I loved those leafy greens. Before you envy my parents having a child content to munch on spinach, sweet potatoes, peas, tomatoes, or other fresh produce procured in our family vegetable garden, they also lived through my angst-filled adolescent years, and I’m sure they’ll remind you that it all evens out in the end.
Today we still eat a lot of spinach, and I like incorporating it into recipes for a healthy boost. In this spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe, we combine quick sauteed spinach with creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, all tucked in to extra-large pasta shells and baked to bubbly goodness. The result is a healthy and hearty baked pasta dish that makes for a crowd-pleasing vegetarian meal.
PrintSpinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
In this easy spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe, three cheeses combine with quick sauteed spinach and jumbo pasta shells for a hearty and comforting, crowd-pleasing vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients
- 16 jumbo pasta shells (Cook a couple of extra shells to allow for a few breaking while the pasta cooks.)
- 1–1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 4 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves, roughly-chopped
- 12 oz skim-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
- 1–1/4 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about a minute or two. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves begin to wilt but are still bright green, about 3 to 4 minutes. The spinach should be reduced by half. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of the spinach and ricotta mixture, and place in the baking dish.
- Cover with the remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins the bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a dusting of Parmesan.
Keywords: spinach stuffed shells, ricotta, baked pasta, easy dinner, vegetarian
Very good. I added pesto.
Thanks, Angie!
This is SO yummy!! Everyone loved it. My husband said it must be on our regular rotation! I do have to dock the recipe by 1 star because I used an 8×8 baking dish and had almost half of the shells and filling leftover. I ended up putting my original 8×8 in the oven and then (nearly) filling another 8×8. (I maybe could have squeezed 2-3 more shells in there.) Next time, I would totally do a 9×13 instead. I also counted the shells in that original 8×8 and there were 16, so 16 does fit well in an 8×8. Another reviewer mentioned this too, so I would use a larger dish if you’re going to make this. But it is SO yummy!
★★★★
Thanks, Amanda!!
I didn’t have shell pasta (my girlfriend used the pasta and didn’t tell me)). Instead, I followed all the directions, except I mixed the sauce in, then poured it into a pan like that and baked it for 30 mins, then poured it over spaghetti noodles. It still turned out great and my girlfriend had heart eyes all dinner long.
Thanks so much, Antheleas! I’m glad you were still able to make it work 🙂
This was amazing!!!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Nichole!!
Hi. I have not made this yet. I was wondering if I could sub broccoli for spinach?
Hi, Connie! I haven’t tried this but I think it should be fine. I’d just be sure to cut the broccoli pretty small. Enjoy!!
I make these all the time in my house my husband, my children myself anyone I’ve ever made these for have been obsessed!!!! Love it thank you so much
Thanks so much, Amanda!! So happy they’re such a hit! 🙂
Easy and delicious. Came together quickly. A weeknight win! Thank you for this recipe Laura.
★★★★★
Thank you, Liane!! 🙂
Great😄
★★★★★
Thank you, Evelyn!!
Amazing!!! I had a hard time fitting 16 shells in an 8×8 baking dish. I guess it’s ok to squeeze them in? Otherwise, this is a family favorite!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Jenni! They can be nice and cozy, but you can use a 9×9 or similar if you’d like 🙂
Hey I used your recipe but I added a few ingredients but I was impressed with what yours looked like very nice I added seasoned hamburger and I used some beef bouillon and frozen spinach and minced onions and fresh garlic I put two eggs because I changed it a little will let you know can’t wait smells so good oh I’m also going to sprinkle some Italian bread crumbs when I remove the foil to brown the top 😇
★★★★★
Thank you, Michele!!
It was so easy. And my family loved it .
★★★★★
Made this with Double Batch vegan cheese and it came out SUPER GOOD! Will be making this again! 🤤
★★★★★
Thanks, Joe!! Would you mind sharing which brand of vegan cheese you used? I would love to try this too 🙂
The brand is Double Batch. Its a small San Diego local vegan cheese company I work for. Check us out on Instagram @doublebatch.co ☺
★★★★★
Awesome, will look out for it! Thank you, Joe!!
Thanks so much, Sylvia!!
Amazing! Doubled the recipe for our larger family, and added a light sprinkle of mozzarella feta and Parmesan for the last 10 minutes of baking. Delilah!! Will make again soon!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Kristal!!
I just made this. I followed the recipe, except I substituted parsley for basil (didn’t have any). It turned out great! The one thing I was most impressed with is the amount of filling generously filled 16 jumbo shells. That doesn’t always happen for me, either too much or too little. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Thanks so much!! 🙂
LOVE this recipe!!! If I were to freeze it, would it be best to freeze before or after baking? Thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you, Mary!! I usually recommend freezing beforehand. Just assemble everything to the point of baking, then wrap the top of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. They’ll take a little bit longer to cook from frozen, probably more like 35-40 minutes. Some readers have also told me that they’ve frozen leftovers with great success. Hope that helps!
Delicious
★★★★★
Thank you, Gayle!!
I’ve been following this recipe for 2 years now and I love it! I’m not the best cook but this is a very easy recipe to follow. I love making it with small shells the best. They’re so cute! I use about 20 small shells with the same proportions of filling. I do get a spoonful of filling leftover.
Oh, I love this!! Thank you so much, Taima! So happy this recipe is a hit 🙂
This is a favourite in our house. I told my 4yr old very picky eater that it was Santa’s favourite meal. It’s now my son’s favourite dinner He asked me to make it for school lunch ♥️ thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Ahh, love this!! Thanks so much, April!
I tried this recipe and I just LOVE IT
It’s easy to do, a little bit of time is needed but it is so worth it !!!!
I really recommend doing it 😍😍😍
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Candie!! 🙂
Good day…what are the calories per serving for this meal?
Just now cooking but smells good lol
★★★★★
Just now cooking but smells good lol
★★★★★
Yay! Enjoy!
Can the shells be made one day ahead of time and baked the following day
Hi, Chantelle! Yes, you can. Just cover tightly and refrigerate. Keep in mind they may take a few minutes longer to bake if your pan is really cold. Enjoy!!
Made this last night for my Dad’s 71st birthday, it was an absolute hit. Although, I would slate over an hour for this recipe, prep is a little more time consuming. Highly recommended recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Nicole!! 🙂