Description
Creamy Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Marinara is a comforting Italian-inspired baked pasta dish featuring jumbo shells filled with a delicious mixture of steamed spinach, ricotta, pecorino cheese, garlic, and spices. Baked with marinara sauce until bubbly and golden, this hearty meal is perfect for family dinners and easy entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 18 to 20 jumbo pasta shells
- Sea salt (for pasta water)
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Filling
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (16 ounces)
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
- 2 garlic cloves (grated)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus more for taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (several grinds)
Sauce and Garnish
- 2 cups marinara sauce (plus more for serving)
- Chopped fresh parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to ensure it is ready for baking the stuffed shells to a bubbly perfection.
- Steam Spinach: Place fresh spinach in a steamer basket over a pot with about 1 inch of simmering water. Cover and steam for about 1 minute until wilted. Transfer to a strainer, squeeze out excess water, and finely chop the spinach.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo pasta shells and cook for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, grated pecorino, grated garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Assemble Dish: Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce evenly at the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the spinach and ricotta filling and arrange the shells snugly in the baking dish over the sauce.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the filling to heat through.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve hot, topped with additional marinara sauce, a sprinkle of pecorino cheese, and chopped fresh parsley as garnish.
Notes
- For best results, squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach to avoid watery filling.
- You can substitute pecorino cheese with Parmesan if preferred.
- Ensure pasta shells are not overcooked to prevent them from breaking during stuffing.
- Covering with foil while baking helps keep the shells moist.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
