Spinach Stuffed Shells is also a simple and healthful vegetarian meal recipe! With three-kinds of cheese, the delicious comfy, family-friendly meal is a hearty and satisfying sweet dish that is ideal for hungry appetites.
This Italian-inspired dish comprises Jumbo Shells pasta, that has been stuffed with many different ingredients and baked with cheese and sauce in a casserole-dish.
If you are trying to eat less meat, or in case you’re serving dinner for a vegetarian guest, then this will to great recipes which you know everybody will appreciate. These simple spinach stuffed shells don’t disappoint!
Spinach and cheese is a classic filled shells filling, but you could also find ricotta stuffed shells and beef or cheese stuffed shells and sausage.
Tips for this Spinach Stuffed Shells:
- To prep beforehand: assemble the stuffed shells in the dish as instructed. Cover and refrigerate up to 24-hours.
- It’s possible to freeze Spinach Stuffed Shells, simply assemble the stuffed shells int the dish instructed and freeze before baking.
- If you want to create the Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce, just add ½ lb of cooked ground-beef or ground Italian sausage into the marinara-sauce.
- To create these Spinach Stuffed Shells without ricotta, you can substitute with cottage cheese instead. If using cottage cheese, then I suggest straining off a few of the liquid or employing a refrigerated cottage cheese so you don’t wind up with a watery filling.
- The shells can keep in the freezer up to 3-weeks. When ready to bake, you can either thaw the stuffed from the fridge overnight and bake according to the recipe directions, or you could bake the frozen-casserole at 350°F for 50-60 minutes (or till heated through). Do not forget to remove the foil through the last 5-10 minutes of baking to enable the cheese to brown on top!
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 2 packages frozen chopped spinach thawed (about 10 oz)
- 1 package jumbo pasta shells (about 12 oz)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 jar marinara sauce (about 2 ½ cups total)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x13" dish with cooking-spray. Then pour half of this marinara-sauce to the bottom of the dish. Save the remainder of the sauce for later.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to package directions then drain and rinse under cold-water.
- Squeeze All the liquid from the spinach. You can use a dish-towe and just keep grinding till you squeezing as much water as you can. Then put greens in a large-bowl.
- Add the ricotta, 1 ½ cups of the mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic powder, basil and salt, into the bowl with the spinach and stir very well with a fork to blend.
- Add a pinch of optional nutmeg, if desired. Stuff each shell with about 2 tbsp of the spinach mix.
- Arrange stuffed-shells in the prepared baking-dish, then open side-up. Pour remaining portion of the marinara-sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or till heated through.
- Remove the foil cover during 5-10 minutes to permit the cheese to just a bit crispy on top.
Please, if you recreate this Spinach Stuffed Shells Recipe, don’t forget to give me STAR RATE (★★★★★) or comment below. Thanks!
Try these Delicious Recipes options:
- Easy Grilled Chicken Margherita
- Quick and Easy Avocado Tostadas
- Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos with Jalapeno Cilantro Sauce
- Easy Delicious Vegan Calzones
- Vegan Collard Greens Recipe