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+ servings
a spoonful of stuffed shells
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5 from 12 votes

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Fall in love with these stuffed shells that have spinach, marinara sauce, and three kinds of cheese! It's a special classic that will feed a crowd, and they're simple to put together.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic stuffed shells, spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe
Servings: 6
Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 24 uncooked jumbo shells see note
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 16 ounces frozen spinach thawed
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • For serving: fresh basil and/or chopped parsley optional, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
  • Boil a salted pot of water and cook the shells 1 minute less than package directions indicate. Once the shells are done, drain them and keep them in your colander/strainer until needed.
  • Pour the jar of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
  • While the shells cook, thaw the spinach and squeeze the water out thoroughly. Add it to a prep bowl along with the ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt & pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir together.
  • Using a small spoon, add the filling into each shell and add them one-by-one to the casserole dish.
  • Top the stuffed shells with the mozzarella and cover the casserole dish tightly with foil.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn).
  • Serve immediately with extra salt & pepper as needed and fresh basil and/or parsley if using.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6 depending on portion size. 4-5 shells per person is a reasonable portion size, especially if it's served with something else.
  • Generally, jumbo shells come in 12 ounce packages. It's a good idea to boil the whole pack (or a few more than the 24 shells the recipe calls for) since some of the shells will break. Also, the actual number of shells you will use depends on how full you stuff them and how many shells you can fit in your baking dish. The size of "jumbo" shells can vary from brand to brand. 
  • You can use fresh spinach if you prefer. Simply sauté 16 oz. of fresh baby spinach in a skillet until wilted, let it cool, and then chop it.
  • See blog post for make ahead and freezing tips.

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1405mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10110IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 646mg | Iron: 4mg