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
Made for the 1st time, so easy to do. Tasted wonderful, only hint I could say is taste the ricotta/spinach mixture as I found I needed a bit more seasoning than recipe suggested. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Thanks, Michelle! Glad they were a hit! And yes, always recommend seasoning to personal taste 🙂
Today is my 3rd time making. Nice easy and tasty dish. Rao’s marinara and added some mushrooms and red bell peppers. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Yum! Thanks so much, Maria!!
Thank you for sharing. This was delicious and has made it into my regular rotation!
★★★★★
So happy to hear that! Thanks, Kacy!!
Awesome!!!!!
★★★★★
Thanks, Nancy!!
Exactly what I’m looking for. I’m gonna make it for sure. Nice Italian salad and fresh garlic bread added.
★★★★
Hope you enjoy!
First of all this recipe is the bomb.com thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Thank you, Jessica!!
Our family favorite! Best recipe!! Thanks for sharing:)
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Christine!!
I forgot to put the egg in after I finished stuffing all the shells☹️ . Going to cook it without it so wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted on how it turned out 🤞
Hi, Karen! The texture in the filling may be a little looser (the egg helps it hold together) but it should still taste good. Hope you still enjoyed 🙂
The recipe was delicious despite forgetting the egg. I will definitely make this again! 😅
Yay!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Absolutely delish! We loved the recipe. I did add mushrooms!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Frances!!
Really enjoyed your recipe! Easy and delicious 😊
★★★★★
Thanks so much!
This is my boyfriend & my’s go-to recipe, and it never fails. We have made this dish probably 10 times now and always leave with a happy tummy. I highly recommend making it with RAOs marinara sauce for the best results.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Sunshine!! Happy it’s a fave, and agree that Rao’s is delish 🙂
This recipe was delicious. I had 15oz ricotta container so used all of it and stuffed 18 shells. Made this with a side salad and garlic bread. I will be making this one again and again.
Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Yum! Thanks, Debbie!!
Any idea on how to cook this in crock pot with pasta uncooked?
Hi, Diana! I don’t have experience cooking pasta shells in a crock pot, just the oven.
Great dish! Family loved it. Recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing 😁
Do you have a calorie count or nutrition info?
★★★★★
Thanks, Mercy!! We no longer include nutrition info but you can plug the ingredients into an online calculator 🙂
What a dish! Presents well and is absolutely delicious. I got 24 shells filled (cooked 30, 6 ended up devoloping tears). I recommend a spatula/dough scraper to really get all the cheesy goodness into those shells. A bit time consuming as I also made the marinara from scratch (worth it though!). I tore up the torn shells and tossed them in my marinara pot excess for a bit of lunch, saving the piece de resistance for dinner. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Belle!!
This was so easy to make and was DELICIOUS! My family loved it.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Lisa!!
Quick, easy, delicious and no crazy ingredients! Even my 9 month old loved eating the filling! I am going to try freezing some next time as we always have leftovers and I don’t want to eat pasta two days in a row. I mean…. I want to… but shouldn’t
★★★★★
Thank you, MacKenzie!! So happy even your little one approves 🙂
After making this recipe about a dozen times I figured it was time to leave a review… I am OBSESSED. This has got to be mine and my husbands favourite pasta recipe. I found that the amount of filling usually allows for me to use the whole box of shells which is perfect for left overs.. If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it! Thank you so much for sharing.
★★★★★
Thank you so, so much Rebecca!! I’m so happy to hear you love these as much as we do 🙂
Hello, would you recommend making this recipe a few hours ahead of time and then baking ?
Thanks!
Hi Olivia! Yes, you can definitely make it earlier in the day, just wrap tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. It may take a few minutes longer if the pan is cold. Enjoy!!
Yeah baby! YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAWWW!!!
I’VE NEVER HAD SHELLS SO GOOD. I’M SO GASSED UP I COULD DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD THRICE! IF YOU HAVEN’T TRIED THIS RECIPE THEN GET YOUR BUTT TO THE STORE AND GET THE INGREDIENTS RIGHT NOW! THANK ME LATER BAHAHAHAHAJA!
★★★★★
Quite the review 😉 Thank you!
Made for the 1st time, so easy to do. Tasted wonderful, only hint I could say is taste the ricotta/spinach mixture as I found I needed a bit more seasoning than recipe suggested. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
I make stuffed shells for my family ALL the time and wanted to sneak in some veggies so I used this recipe. Oh my goodness my kids and husband raved over how GREAT these shells were and kept asking what was different! I used half the amount of garlic and spinach (picky kids) it was absolutely perfect 10/10 from my fam!
★★★★★
So happy they’re a hit for your family! Thanks, Taylor!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it a couple times and everyone has loved it!
★★★★★
Thanks, Kisha!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Ive been making these shells for a few yeara now and Im always told They taste better than ordering them out. I do bulk up on the garlic and use fresh parm flakes rather than from the shaker but these are amazing!
★★★★★
Ah, love that! Thank you, Jenn!