Stuffed Jumbo Shells Spinach (Printable Version)

Creamy ricotta and spinach filled jumbo shells baked in rich tomato sauce with melted mozzarella topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Filling

03 - 14 oz ricotta cheese
04 - 9 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 garlic clove, minced
08 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

11 - 24 oz tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Topping

18 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
19 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook jumbo pasta shells until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and arrange shells on a tray to prevent sticking.
03 - In a bowl, blend ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomato passata, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes.
05 - Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly in a large baking dish.
06 - Fill each pasta shell with 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach mixture. Arrange filled shells in the baking dish over the sauce.
07 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed shells evenly.
08 - Sprinkle mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
10 - Allow dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This is the kind of meal that makes people pause and say something like oh my god did you really make this from scratch
  • The filling-to-pasta ratio is generous without being overwhelming, and the sauce underneath becomes this concentrated, caramelized magic at the bottom of the dish
  • It actually tastes better the next day, which means you are secretly meal prepping while feeling like you are indulging
02 -
  • Overcooking the pasta before baking is the number one mistake people make with stuffed shells
  • Letting the assembled dish sit for 20 minutes before baking gives the sauce time to soak into the pasta slightly
  • The foil should be tented slightly rather than pressed tight against the cheese, or it will stick and peel off your beautiful topping
03 -
  • Use a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner cut to fill the shells quickly and without making a mess
  • Room temperature ricotta mixes more smoothly than cold, so take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting
  • Sprinkle a little extra Parmesan between layers of shells if you are making a deeper dish for hidden pockets of salty richness
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