Description
A hearty and comforting Italian dish featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy four-cheese and spinach filling, baked in marinara sauce. Ideal for cozy dinners or make-ahead meal prep.
Ingredients
- 18–20 jumbo pasta shells
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups spinach
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
- Boil shells in salted water for 1 minute less than al dente (around 13 minutes); drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil, sauté garlic for 1 minute, then add spinach and cook until wilted (about 3 minutes). Let cool.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, seasonings, half of the mozzarella, most Parmesan (reserve a little for topping), cream cheese, egg, and the spinach-garlic mixture.
- Spread half the marinara sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Fill each shell with the cheese mixture and arrange in the dish.
- Pour remaining marinara sauce over the shells and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- Boil extra shells in case some break.
- Cool spinach mixture before adding to cheese to prevent curdling.
- Use frozen spinach if desired—just thaw and drain well.
- Double the recipe using two 9×13-inch dishes.
- Make ahead and refrigerate or freeze for convenience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
