Description
Delicious and comforting baked stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta cheese mixture, topped with marinara sauce, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil. This recipe features perfectly cooked conchiglioni pasta shells stuffed with a flavorful blend of cheeses, spinach, and lemon zest, baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffed Shells
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni), cooked to al dente
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz fresh spinach
- 1 egg
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (whole or skim milk)
- ⅔ cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- ⅔ cup toasted salted pine nuts, divided
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce (we recommend Rao’s or Mezzetta brand)
- Fresh basil, finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package instructions, but be sure to cook them slightly under al dente to ensure they finish perfectly baking.
- Sauté Spinach and Garlic: Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and fresh spinach, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until the spinach is wilted, smashing it gently with a spatula to help release moisture. Roughly chop large spinach leaves as needed.
- Prepare Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed spinach and garlic with the egg, ricotta cheese, freshly grated mozzarella, parmesan, ½ cup of the toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly to create a creamy filling.
- Stuff Shells and Add Sauce: Pour the marinara sauce into the same cast iron skillet used for the spinach. Stuff each pasta shell with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the spinach-ricotta mixture, and place them carefully in the marinara sauce in the skillet.
- Bake Covered: Cover the skillet with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are cooked through.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to allow the top to lightly brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, the remaining pine nuts, and freshly chopped basil before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta shells slightly under al dente to prevent overcooking during baking.
- Using a cast iron skillet helps evenly heat and bake the marinara and shells together.
- Feel free to substitute fresh basil with parsley or oregano if preferred.
- To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir frequently until golden brown and fragrant.
- This dish can be prepared ahead by assembling and refrigerating before baking the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: stuffed shells, baked pasta shells, spinach ricotta shells, Italian stuffed shells, comfort food, vegetarian Italian recipe
