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Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells

These delicious ricotta and spinach stuffed shells made with marinara sauce and stuffed with three types of cheese makes the perfect comfort food that would feed a crowd!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: pasta, ricotta, spinach
Servings: 4
Calories: 804kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g large pasta shells (dried pasta)
  • 5 tbsp grated mozzarella

Marinara Sauce

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium-sized onions finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic finely diced
  • 4 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp white wine (optional)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes (approx. 800g)
  • ¾ cup water

Filling

  • 250 g spinach fresh or frozen
  • 500 g ricotta
  • 100 g parmesan cheese grated
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400F). Boil pasta shells until al dente. Drain, set aside, and allow to cool.

Marinara Sauce

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat and sauté diced onions for 5-7 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, stirring continuously not to burn garlic.
  • Add salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Add white wine (optional) and de-glaze skillet.
  • Stir in tomato paste and add chopped tomatoes and water. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until sauce thickens. Sauce needs to be slightly runny and not too thick. Add more water if sauce starts to dry up. Transfer sauce to large bowl to cool completely.

Stuffing

  • To wilt spinach, place spinach in a colander and pour 2 cups of boiling water and allow to drain. Squeeze spinach dry once cooled.
  • Place wilted spinach, parmesan cheese, ricotta, eggs, nutmeg, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk until all combined.

Assembly

  • Pour marinara sauce into the bottom of a baking dish (you may need to separate between 2 dishes, depending on size).
  • Stuff each pasta shell with ricotta mixture (around 2 tsp. each, depending on size) and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with a generous amount of grated mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10-20 minutes until pasta is cooked through and and golden brown at the top. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 804kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 1542mg | Potassium: 1268mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 7202IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 759mg | Iron: 7mg