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
I love this recipe. Made a batch today but froze them (without the sauce) and will pull out enough for the two of us and then make them up with the sauce and cheese and bake. I never thaw them in advance.
Thanks so much, Marti!!
Excellent recipe. I’m making it again tonight with leftover spaghetti sauce 🙂 so glad I found this
★★★★★
Yay! Thank you, Michelle!!
A recipe on repeat! It’s simple & so delicious. Thank you.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Amy!!
Delicious! I did use frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh. Squeezing out the liquid after microwaving. I will use this recipe again. Thank you.
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Stella!!
Don’t use 1 tsp salt! I knew that was too much while I was making it but didn’t trust my gut, and it ended up too salty. I think otherwise it woulda been good.
★★★
Hi Amanda, I’m sorry you felt that way! Did you use Kosher salt or iodized/table salt? The latter is definitely saltier and you’d only need to use about half as much. I recommend using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt if you can find it. Either way, next time you can of course, try seasoning the filling to your own taste 🙂
Easy and absolutely delicious. Husband raved!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Patti!!
What is a serving size and do you have nutrition info?
Thank you
★★★★★
I live in a trailer don’t use oven can this be done in microwave
Hi, Evette! I have not tried this recipe in a microwave, so I’m not sure how that would go or how that would affect the timing. If you are able to cook the pasta shells and spinach for the filling first on the stove, it might work. I would probably skip the egg to be safe, and know that the texture will likely be slightly different than the original recipe. Not sure if that’s helpful but I’d love to know if you try it and are successful!
I wasn’t able to find jumbo shells in the store so I made a lasagna with the filling. I added a bit of extra sauce as well. 10/10 would recommend.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Julia!!
I use cooked lasagna noodles and roll them up. Should make about 9.
Awesome recipe thank you for sharing! My hubby had two giant plates! I followed the recipe, but made my own tomato sauce with shallots and extra basil. Also topped with more mozzarella on the last bake. Yum yum! 🙂
Yum! Homemade sauce is the best 🙂 Thanks so much, Jackie!!
Fantastic. Followed recipe exactly and it was excellent. Thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Shelagh!!
Went to 2 grocery stores and mo jumbo shells. Was late so didn’t have chance to go to other stores. I bought large ones which are small. I layered sauce shells spinach mix with everything else per recipe. Then baked it in oven. Tasted very good. Will have to go to different store to hopefully find jumbo shells to make it again.
★★★★★
Hi Denise! Jumbo shells can be a little tricky to find sometimes but I’m glad the recipe still turned out delish!
Finally found some do tonight im making it with the jumbo shells. My kids loved it the last time so.
Yay! Thanks, Denise! 🙂
I had trouble finding the large shells but finally found them in Target.
★★★★★
Thanks, Virginia!
Hi
Could I prepare up to point of baking then refrigerate till next night to bake?
Sure! You can also freeze the shells if you’d like to make them further in advance. Enjoy!
Love this recipe!Making it again right now . The only thing I change is to add some Italian seasoning to the filling and a little mozzarella on top of the sauce .I use this recipe all the time ,my family loves it so much that my son has requested it to be his birthday dinner ! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Tara!!
Delish
★★★★★
Thank you, Peggy!!
Fried mushrooms instead of spinach, and sprinkle chopped green onions on top. Also added broccoli and chopped black olives to the sauce. Woo Hoo !!!
★★★★★
Yum! Thanks, William 🙂
I used frozen spinach, thawed and strained well. This recipe was a GREAT hit! My husband loved it and this is no small success as he is a meat and potatoes man! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
So happy to hear it! Thanks, Sheila!!
I would love to try this recipe, but wondering how long do you cook the shells? aldente or cooked through even more? Also – I have some leftover spinach and ricotta mixture from a few days ago. Can I just add an egg to this mix and use that for the stuffing? Thanks for this recipe!
★★★★★
Hi, Jan! The shells should indicate the suggested cooking time on the box, but in general you’ll want to cook them al dente for around 8-9 mins. If your leftover mixture is the same ratio of spinach/ricotta as the recipe, you can use it in the filling, sure 🙂 You can also make these in advance. Enjoy!!
Haven’t made yet, excited to try because of all the great reviews! Wondering if this could be made ahead?
★★★★★
Hi, Tricia! Yes, you can make the shells earlier in the day or the day before, just cover the pan tightly and refrigerate. If you’re looking to make them further in advance, you can also freeze them, either fully assembled in the pan or individually before adding the sauce/cheese. From chilled or frozen, the shells will take a little bit longer than the regular recipe (somewhere in the 30-40 minute range), before uncovering and baking an additional 10-15 minutes. Hope that helps, there are also lots of tips from readers in the comments 🙂 Enjoy!!
Easy and good. I always include some onions and extra garlic to add a little more razzle dazzle.
★★★★
Thanks, Reid!
Excellent used as part of Meal as a appetizer offering for your more adventurous guest.
★★★★★
Thanks, Quinito!
We love this recipe! I make a couple of changes: I use a 13″x9″ pan; I use a whole jar of Victoria marinara sauce (1C in bottom of pan and rest distributed between shells in pan); I sprinkle shaved parmesan and parsley on top. YUM!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, CC!