There is something truly comforting about a warm, bubbling tray of pasta pulled fresh from the oven. These Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells are a classic centerpiece, featuring tender jumbo shells packed with a creamy cheese filling and bathed in a vibrant, homemade tomato sauce.
Every bite offers the perfect balance of savory greens, smooth ricotta, and a rich, garlicky tomato finish that is sure to become a favorite in your household.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Robust, savory, and herbaceous with a hint of warmth from red pepper flakes.
- Textures: Perfectly tender pasta shells filled with a creamy, velvety cheese and spinach mixture.
- Total Time: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate, requiring a bit of assembly for the stuffing, but well worth the effort for the final result.
What You’ll Need
To bring this dish to life, you will need a combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. The base starts with a flavorful tomato sauce simmered with plenty of garlic and herbs, while the filling centers on a blend of whole milk ricotta, fresh baby spinach, and a trio of aromatic additions to ensure the texture stays light and rich.
Ingredient Notes
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use a high quality oil for the best flavor when sautéing your aromatics.
- Plum Tomatoes: Hand crushed or pulsed tomatoes provide a rustic, chunky texture that clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Whole Milk Ricotta: Always ensure your ricotta is well drained, as this prevents the filling from becoming watery during the baking process.
- Baby Spinach: Blanching and thoroughly squeezing out the water is essential for ensuring your filling remains thick and flavorful rather than diluted.
- Whole Milk Mozzarella: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties.
- Pecorino Romano: This adds a sharp, salty depth that balances out the richness of the ricotta.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Fresh herbs: You can stir in fresh basil or oregano into the ricotta mix if you want an extra herbal punch.
- Extra spice: If you prefer a bit more heat, feel free to increase the amount of crushed hot red pepper flakes in the sauce.
- Texture: For a bit of crunch, you can toast some breadcrumbs with butter and sprinkle them over the top before the final baking stage.
How to Make Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Creating this meal is a rewarding process that begins with a slow-simmered sauce and finishes with the careful assembly of your stuffed shells.
- Heat a large pot or pan to medium heat with olive oil and add the garlic. Sauté until golden, about 2 minutes, then add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a little water if the paste starts to burn. Add the remaining water and the plum tomatoes, bringing the sauce to a lively simmer.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid cracked, and stir occasionally. Mix in the basil a few minutes before assembling the shells.
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the baby spinach for 30 seconds. Drain the spinach, squeeze out excess water, chop it, and set aside.
- Boil the shells in the salted water until very firm to the bite, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Strain the shells, drain them on kitchen towels, and then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool before stuffing.
- Combine the ricotta, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup of grated Pecorino Romano, parsley, chopped spinach, and garlic powder. Season with salt if desired. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs until well combined.
- Ladle a thick layer of sauce onto the bottom of one or two large baking dishes.
- Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture using a spoon or pastry bag. Arrange the filled shells seam-side up in the baking dish.
- Top the shells with more sauce, but don’t cover them completely. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino cheese. Cover with parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the covering and bake for another 15 minutes, until bubbly and crisp. You can broil the top for the last 1/2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Let the shells rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Pro Tip: When boiling the pasta, pull the shells out of the water while they are still slightly firm, as they will finish cooking perfectly once they are in the oven with the sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the step of laying the cooked shells on a towel. This dries the surface and helps them keep their shape when you handle them.
- Using a pastry bag to pipe the ricotta filling into the shells makes the assembly much faster and keeps things tidy.
- Be generous with the sauce at the bottom of the pan to ensure the pasta at the base doesn’t dry out while baking.
- Always allow the shells to rest for 10 minutes after baking. This helps the filling set, making it much easier to serve without the shells falling apart.
FAQs
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes, if you use frozen spinach, ensure it is completely thawed and squeezed of every drop of excess moisture before chopping and adding it to the cheese mixture.
Can I make the sauce thinner?
If you prefer a thinner sauce, simply add a small splash of extra water when simmering. However, keep in mind that a thicker sauce adheres better to the shells.
How do I know when the shells are done?
The shells are ready when the cheese is melted, the top is slightly crisp, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the baking dish.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these stuffed shells with a simple garden salad dressed in a light balsamic vinaigrette. A side of toasted garlic bread is also wonderful for soaking up any extra tomato sauce left on your plate.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can easily prepare the tomato sauce and the ricotta filling one day in advance and store them separately in the refrigerator. If you choose to assemble the shells ahead of time, keep them covered in the refrigerator and add about 5 to 10 minutes to your initial covered baking time to ensure they are heated through.
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Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 40 shells 1x
Description
These Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells are a classic centerpiece, featuring tender jumbo shells packed with a creamy cheese filling and bathed in a vibrant, homemade tomato sauce.
Ingredients
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons (45g) tomato paste
1/2 cup (120ml) water
3 28-ounce can plum tomatoes (hand crushed or blender pulsed)
salt and pepper (to taste)
10 large basil leaves (hand torn)
1 pound (454g) jumbo shells (about 40 shells)
1 1/2 pounds (680g) whole milk ricotta (drained)
3 cups (340g) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 pound (454g) baby spinach (blanched, water squeezed out, and chopped)
3/4 cup (68g) grated Pecorino Romano
2 large eggs (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
1. Heat a large pot or pan to medium heat with olive oil and add the garlic. Sauté until golden, about 2 minutes, then add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a little water if the paste starts to burn. Add the remaining water and the plum tomatoes, bringing the sauce to a lively simmer.
3. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid cracked, and stir occasionally. Mix in the basil a few minutes before assembling the shells.
4. Preheat your oven to 400F.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the baby spinach for 30 seconds. Drain the spinach, squeeze out excess water, chop it, and set aside.
6. Boil the shells in the salted water until very firm to the bite, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Strain the shells, drain them on kitchen towels, and then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool before stuffing.
7. Combine the ricotta, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup of grated Pecorino Romano, parsley, chopped spinach, and garlic powder. Season with salt if desired. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs until well combined.
8. Ladle a thick layer of sauce onto the bottom of one or two large baking dishes.
9. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture using a spoon or pastry bag. Arrange the filled shells seam-side up in the baking dish.
10. Top the shells with more sauce, but don’t cover them completely. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino cheese. Cover with parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the covering and bake for another 15 minutes, until bubbly and crisp. You can broil the top for the last 1-2 minutes, watching carefully.
11. Let the shells rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Notes
Don’t skip the step of laying the cooked shells on a towel. This dries the surface and helps them keep their shape when you handle them.
Using a pastry bag to pipe the ricotta filling into the shells makes the assembly much faster and keeps things tidy.
Be generous with the sauce at the bottom of the pan to ensure the pasta at the base doesn’t dry out while baking.
Always allow the shells to rest for 10 minutes after baking. This helps the filling set, making it much easier to serve without the shells falling apart.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: N/A
- Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: N/A
- Protein: N/A
