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.
Can this be assembled the night before and refrigerated and baked the next day?
Hi, PJ! Sure, just cover well and keep refrigerated. You can also freeze the shells if you’d like to make them further in advance. Hope you enjoy!!
I made this and used whole milk and cheese. The whole fat is bad for you is such a terrible myth especially from someone who is cancer free. Low fat and fat free products have many more preservatives and sodium to make up for the lack in taste so my Naturopath urged me to use organic whole dairy products whenever I need them in a recipe. I mixed baby kale with the spinach but otherwise, I used the recipe as is.
This was just delicious! My husband was beyond happy with the taste. Thank you for a great recipe.
Thank you, Lillian!! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe 🥰
Can I make this a day ahead and keep in the fridge if everything is cool?
Hi Tim! Sure, just cover well and keep in the fridge. You can also freeze the shells if you’d like to make further in advance. Hope you enjoy!!
Delicious Recipe thank you Laura, however, due to the dangers of using any skim milk product, you could substitute it for low fat milk, which has very little fat, and its good fat.
There is a pre curser to breast cancer with the skim milk products, with an emphasis on skim milk powder (containing 70 % Lactogen, which is a dangerous toxin for we women)
Thanks again for sharing your delicious recipe
Kind wishes, Heather
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Heather!
This is the ultimate stuffed shell recipe. So delicious! The only change I made was to saute about 1/2 a cup of chopped onion before adding the garlic. This recipe is a keeper as is, but to make it healthier I might try halving the cheese amounts and tripling the spinach. Thank you for posting!
Thank you so much, Jen!!
Easy and tasty weeknight meal. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Lisa!!
I make these shells when i want to treat myself. they’re so good! i chop up and sauté a bunch of mushrooms and it’s always fabulous… im a recipe tweaker so i omit onions and garlic (don’t like em) and mix a jar of mushroom prego with basil alfredo. *mwah*
Thank you so much, Killian!!
Can you make shells day before than add sauce when cooking next dau
Hi Candy! Yes, you absolutely can, just cover well and keep in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!!
Amazingly yummy!!!! I didn’t have any fresh spinach so I put a BIG dollop of Pesto instead…..Came out great!!!
Thank you so much, Marion!! Love the tip to use pesto 😊
Delicious. If you don’t stuff the shells too full you can definitely stretch the cheese to fill more. This is the best recipe I’ve found so far. They turned out perfect.
Thank you so much, LVS!!
Can I add some Italian sausage to the filling?
Sure! It may bulk up the filling, so you’ll likely be able to fill a few more shells. Enjoy!
Can you substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta?Â
Hi, Taylor! I haven’t tried this, but I imagine it would have a similar texture. Let us know how it turns out if you try it 🙂
I’m making this tonight for the 4th time. It is so good! Thank you!
Yay! Thank you so much, Lori!!
I’m not sure about cottage cheese, but I substitute the ricotta with cream cheese (my husband doesn’t like ricotta) and it’s AMAZING!!! Obsessed with this recipe
Thank you so much, Samantha!!
I’ve made these many times..but to make them the best just Add crispy chopped bacon.
Can I preoare this a grade of time and just bake at the last minuteÂ
Hi, Sandra! Sure, you can make the day of, keep refrigerated, and then bake when ready. Or, if you want to make it further in advance, I would recommend freezing the shells. Lots of readers have done this, you can scroll through the comments for more tips 🙂
Can I assemble it all early in the day and then do the baking shortly before we plan to eat?
Hi, Elle! Yes, absolutely. It may take a few minutes longer to bake cold from the fridge. Enjoy!
This is, hands down, the best stuffed shell recipe I’ve ever had! My mom used to make these when I was a kid, and I had a hankering, so I found your recipe. My whole family loves this!! I always add a bit more garlic and spinach 🙂
Thank you so much, Bethany!!
Is the egg necessary or can I exclude it?
Hi, Elizabeth! You can skip it, the filling will just be a little softer. Enjoy!
Simple and easy recipe to follow; it looks delicious. When it cools off I will enjoy.
Thank you, JM!!
I would like to make these and freeze for Christmas Eve. Should I still bake them and then freeze. Â Do I bake them for same amount of time as above. Â Thank you Marty
Hi, Marty! You can go about it a couple of ways. Yes, you can bake and freeze, then reheat (they will take slightly longer, maybe 10 extra mins, in the oven). OR, you can assemble the shells, and freeze them. Then when you’re ready to bake, layer them in your pan with the sauce and bake as usual. I tend to like the second method, but readers have gone both routes successfully. Enjoy!!
Made this last week for my trainer at the gym (trying to be teachers pet 😂).Starting it again tonight for tomorrow. He said its the best pasta dish he’s ever eaten 😋
Thank you so much, Carol!!