Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Few combinations are as comforting as creamy ricotta, tender spinach, pasta and a rich tomato sauce. These four ingredients are the foundation of so many beloved Italian dishes—from lasagna and ravioli to manicotti and tortellini—and they come together beautifully in these Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells.

This is one of those recipes that looks impressive on the table but is surprisingly simple to make. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach mixture flavoured with sautéed onion, garlic, Parmesan and a touch of cayenne, then nestled into tomato sauce and topped with plenty of mozzarella. Everything bakes together until the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden, bubbly and delicious. It’s cozy, satisfying comfort food that’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for a Sunday dinner.

The Ricotta and Spinach Filling

The filling is the heart of this recipe, and it comes together with just a handful of ingredients. I combine creamy ricotta with cooked spinach, sautéed onion and garlic, Parmesan cheese and a small pinch of cayenne for a little warmth.

One important step is to cook and cool the spinach before adding it to the ricotta. Spinach contains quite a bit of water, and squeezing out as much excess moisture as possible helps prevent the filling from becoming watery. Once the spinach has cooled, simply chop it finely and stir it into the ricotta mixture.

The Parmesan adds a salty, savoury depth to the filling, while the sautéed onion and garlic give it even more flavour. The result is creamy and rich without being overly heavy.

Choose the Right Pasta Shells

Look for jumbo pasta shells, which are usually found in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores. Shells can vary slightly in size between brands, but I recommend choosing ones that are roughly the size of your palm. They’re large enough to hold a generous amount of filling without being difficult to handle.

You don’t want to cook the shells completely before assembling the dish. Instead, boil them until they are very al dente, then drain them carefully. The shells will continue cooking in the oven as they simmer in the tomato sauce, so slightly undercooking them at this stage helps ensure they don’t become mushy.

I also recommend cooking a few extra shells. Pasta shells can tear or stick together while cooking, and having a few spares means you won’t have to worry about running out when it’s time to assemble the dish.

How to Assemble Stuffed Shells

Once the filling, sauce and pasta are ready, it’s time to assemble the shells. Here’s how to assemble everything:

• Spread a generous layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of a casserole dish. This creates a saucy base for the pasta and helps keep the shells moist as they bake.
• Fill each shell with a few heaping tablespoons of the ricotta and spinach mixture. Don’t be shy with the filling—I like my shells generously stuffed!
• Arrange the filled shells in the baking dish, then spoon another thick layer of tomato sauce over top.
• Finish everything with a generous layer of shredded mozzarella.
• Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes. Keeping the dish covered for the first part of baking allows the pasta to steam gently in the sauce, helping the shells cook through while staying tender and moist.
• After 45 minutes, remove the foil and return the dish to the oven for another 15 minutes. This final uncovered bake allows the mozzarella to melt, bubble and develop those irresistible golden-brown spots.

Make-Ahead Instructions

One of the best things about stuffed shells is that much of the preparation can be done ahead of time. The ricotta and spinach filling, tomato sauce and cooked pasta shells can all be prepared in advance, making this an especially convenient recipe for entertaining.

You can also assemble the entire dish ahead of time, cover it and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. If baking directly from the refrigerator, you may need to add a little extra time to the covered baking portion to ensure the pasta is heated through.

Get the Recipe: Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Ricotta & Spinach Stuffed Shells

Melissa

Ricotta cheese and pasta…is there a better combination? Ricotta cheese and spinach are stuffed inside of traditional pasta shells and are baked with lots of tomato sauce and lots of mozzarella cheese! Serve this with a side of salad and garlic bread and you will have a cozy Italian dinner any night of the week!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Resting Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 413 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 cups fresh spinach thoroughly washed
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt plus more for salting the water
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
• 1 package large pasta shells
• water for boiling
• 4 cups tomato sauce jarred or homemade

Instructions

 

To prepare the filling:

• Begin by cooking the spinach. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and onion. Cook the onion until it has softened and has become translucent, but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Once the onion has softened, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and place in a mixing bowl to cool. Next, add the spinach to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted.
• Next, add the spinach to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat and allow the spinach to cool completely. Once cooled, squeeze and much liquid as you can out of the spinach mixture, then roughly chop the spinach into bite-sized pieces and place it in the mixing bowl.
• Add the ricotta cheese, Parmigiano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella to the bowl with the spinach and mix to combine.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once the water has come to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water followed by the pasta shells. Cook the pasta shells as directed on the package, minus 2 minutes. This will leave the pasta shells a bit al dente and will allow them to continue to finish cooking in the oven. Once the pasta shells are cooked, drain them and rinse them with cold water until you are able to handle them.

To assemble and bake:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large 9×13 inch casserole dish, spread 1 1/2 cup of tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of the dish. Next, fill each shell with two heaping tablespoons of the ricotta and spinach mixture (or less depending on the size of your shells) and add it to the dish. Continue this process until all the pasta shells are filled, or you run out of ricotta mixture.
• Spread the rest of the tomato sauce evenly across the top of the pasta shells and then top the whole dish off with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes in the oven. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and cook, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes so that the cheese can get lightly browned on top of the casserole.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve this with a nice fresh salad and a side of garlic bread and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 26gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1289mgPotassium: 751mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2987IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 537mgIron: 3mg

Keyword easy pasta recipe, stuffed pasta shells

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