Stuffed shells with spinach ricotta and cottage cheese is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please everyone at your table. This delicious and versatile dish can be customized to your liking, with a variety of fillings and sauces to choose from. Whether you are looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a special dish for a dinner party, stuffed shells are a great option. With so many variations to choose from, you are sure to find a recipe that you love.
Here are our top 13 tried and tested recipes!
SPINACH AND COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS (NO RICOTTA)
I have made many stuffed shell recipes, and I always end up adding stuff, substituting stuff, or taking stuff out. We are a no-ricotta-for-me house, mostly (unless it's disguised), so I use all cottage cheese. So, here is my version of spinach and cheese stuffed shells. I think they taste very good. Thank you. ;)
Provided by Greeny4444
Categories < 60 Mins
Time 50m
Yield 20 shells, 5 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine ingredients "cottage cheese" through "egg".
- Pour half of the sauce in a 9x13 pan (I never measure the sauce, I just pour it from the jar). Fill the shells full with the cheese mixture, and place them into the pan with the sauce.
- Drizzle the remaining sauce lightly over the top of the shells (or spoon sauce from the jar over the shells, like I do). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 256.2, Fat 10.7, SaturatedFat 4.5, Cholesterol 60.5, Sodium 1419.1, Carbohydrate 22.7, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 14.5, Protein 18.3
SPINACH AND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells. Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with three types of cheeses and topped with pasta sauce!
Provided by Kelley Simmons
Categories Main Course
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until tender about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl and add in ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Spread about 1/2 of the sauce in the bottom of a 8 x8 or 9 x 9 baking dish.
- Stuff shells with the spinach cheese mixture and place in the baking dish.
- Top with the remaining sauce and bake for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
- Serve immediately with basil and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 419 kcal, Carbohydrate 30 g, Protein 25 g, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Cholesterol 103 mg, Sodium 1242 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g, ServingSize 1 serving
STUFFED SHELLS FILLED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA
These are comforting and easy to put together. You can make them ahead and heat them in the oven when you're ready for dinner.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 1h
Yield About 40 shells, serving 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the spinach for no more than 20 seconds, just until wilted, and transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta shells. Cook al dente, about 10 minutes, and drain and toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
- Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the spinach and pulse to chop finely. Add the ricotta and the egg and process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well blended.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish or two 2-quart dishes. The shells should fit into the dish in one layer. Fill each shell with a scant tablespoon of the filling. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. Top with the tomato sauce and cover the dish with foil.
- Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 424, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 54 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 21 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 672 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CHEESY SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS
Want comfort food on demand? These family-friendly baked shells can be assembled ahead and refrigerated or frozen so they're ready to pop in the oven with no day-of work.
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- While the sauce simmers, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta shells al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place them in an even layer on paper towels or parchment.
- For the filling, in a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Add the spinach and mix until combined. Stir in the cheeses.
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon about half of the sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly. Fill each pasta shell with an even amount of the filling (about 1/4 cup per shell, more or less) and place the shells on top of the sauce in the pan - making three rows of eight shells.
- Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake five or so more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the shells sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
CHEESY SPINACH-STUFFED SHELLS
This is my own personal recipe. I'm very proud of it because I am still a beginner cook and it was the first recipe I created. You can adjust it to your liking by doubling the spinach or adding some meat. -Laci Hooten, McKinney, Texas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h30m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Cook pasta shells according to package directions for al dente. Drain; rinse with cold water., Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook and stir until vegetables are tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat; cool slightly., In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta cheese, spinach, basil and pepper. Stir in olives, mushroom mixture and 3/4 cup each cheese blend and mozzarella cheese., Spread 1 cup sauce into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Fill pasta shells with cheese mixture; place in baking dish, overlapping ends slightly. Spoon remaining sauce over top., Bake, covered, until heated through, 40-45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with additional basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 313 calories, Fat 13g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 65mg cholesterol, Sodium 642mg sodium, Carbohydrate 32g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 18g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
FOUR-CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS
More cheese, please! You'll get your fill from saucy jumbo pasta shells loaded with four kinds-ricotta, Asiago, mozzarella and cottage cheese. Do the prep work, and then freeze according to the recipe directions to have a ready-to-bake meal. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 45m
Yield 2 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, Asiago cheese, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, chives and 1/2 cup spinach (save the remaining spinach for another use)., Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce into a shallow 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drain pasta; stuff with cheese mixture. Arrange in prepared dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella. , Cover and bake until heated through, 25-30 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in the center of 2 or 3 shells to read 165°.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 376 calories, Fat 14g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 49mg cholesterol, Sodium 959mg sodium, Carbohydrate 39g carbohydrate (13g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
SPINACH AND CHEESE STUFFED PASTA SHELLS
Magnificent jumbo pasta shells stuffed to bursting with cheesy spinach filling.
Provided by KITKATY
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place pasta shells in boiling water; bring water back to boil. Cook until noodles are just tender; drain well.
- Squeeze spinach dry. Combine spinach, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, fennel, basil and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Fill each pasta shell with the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange the shells, filling side up in the baking dish. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the shells.
- Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until heated through; about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 702.9 calories, Carbohydrate 94.9 g, Cholesterol 59.4 mg, Fat 21.3 g, Fiber 10.2 g, Protein 33 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Sodium 1004 mg, Sugar 15.7 g
STUFFED SHELLS III
This recipe is a hit wherever you go. It is a very rich and cheesy meal and looks like a deep-dish pizza when done. I altered what I was originally given because I did not like cottage cheese and added other ingredients that I thought it deserved.
Provided by Renee
Categories Main Dish Recipes Stuffed Main Dish Recipes
Time 1h30m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until well combined. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, stir together pasta sauce, mushrooms and reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Pour over stuffed shells.
- Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 549.7 calories, Carbohydrate 43.7 g, Cholesterol 115.6 mg, Fat 24.5 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 37.7 g, SaturatedFat 13.9 g, Sodium 1544.2 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
SPINACH + COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS ARE HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS
Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian shares a healthy recipe for stuffed spinach and cottage cheese shells.
Provided by Melissa d'Arabian
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- For the sauce, in a large saucepan, cook the onion and grated carrot in the olive oil over medium-low heat until vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes; do not let brown
- Add the garlic and Italian herbs and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more
- Turn up the heat to high, add the crushed tomatoes, and stir with a wooden spoon
- Once the mixture starts to boil, add the tomato sauce and stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer again
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the shells according to package directions and remove 1 minute before the suggested cooking time
- Rinse, then place in cold water to prevent sticking
- For the filling, pulse the cottage cheese in a food processor until the large curds are broken down into smaller ricotta-like curds, about 5 pulses
- (Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula between pulses
- ) Scrape the cottage cheese into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining filling ingredients
- Spoon the filling into a resealable plastic bag, and cut a 1-inch tip open in the corner
- (Refrigerate if waiting before stuffing shells
- ) Preheat oven to 350°F
- Spray a 2½-quart baking dish with nonstick spray
- Spread ½ cup sauce on the bottom of the pan; add 2 tablespoons water if needed to spread the sauce
- Pipe filling into each shell and arrange the filled shells in the pan
- Once shells are filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
- Uncover the pan, top with parmesan cheese, if using, and bake for an additional 15 minutes
- Let cool for a few minutes before topping with basil and serving
SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta cheese and baked in tomato sauce is a comforting classic. For this version, add in loads of cooked greens to the filling to add a fresh and colorful vegetable component, without skimping on the oozy cheese.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
- Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
- Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
- To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
STUFFED SHELLS (SPINACH & RICOTTA CHEESE) RECIPE - (4.7/5)
Provided by lknowles
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and run under cold water until cool. 2. Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a large broilerproof baking dish. 3. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake until the shells are heated through, 10 to 12 minutes. 4. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese begins to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve with the salad, if desired. Nutritional Information * Per Serving * Calories 794 * Fat 47g * Sat Fat 24g * Cholesterol 141mg * Sodium 1,390mg * Protein 44g * Carbohydrate 49g * Sugar 9g * Fiber 5g * Iron 3mg * Calcium 798mg
RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFED PASTA SHELLS
Make and share this Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Terese
Categories Pasta Shells
Time 1h25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, 3 minutes; drain.
- Cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to moderate.
- Boil, steam or microwave spinach until just wilted; drain.
- Chop spinach finely, squeeze out excess liquid.
- Combine spinach in a large bowl with ricotta and cottage cheese; spoon spinach mixture into pasta shells.
- Combine sauce and stock in oiled shallow 2 litre (8 cup) ovenproof dish.
- Place pasta shells in dish; sprinkle with parmesan.
- Bake, covered, in moderate oven about 1 hour or until pasta is tender.
STUFFED SHELLS RECIPE BY TASTY
Stuffed with a garlicky spinach-ricotta-Parmesan mixture, dressed with bright marinara sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese, and baked to golden, melty perfection, these shells are worth staying in for.
Provided by Tasty
Categories Lunch
Time 55m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the jumbo shells and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the jumbo shells through a colander.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted down, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the spinach cool to room temperature, then roughly chop on a cutting board.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and egg. Add the chopped spinach, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, the black pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- Fill the jumbo shells with the ricotta mixture.
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread 2 cups of marinara on the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer over the marinara sauce. Spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara over the shells and top with the mozzarella.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue baking until the cheese has melted and is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Garnish with the basil and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 497 calories, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 30 grams, Sugar 4 grams
Tips:
- To make the shells easier to stuff, boil them for a few minutes until they are al dente. This will make them pliable and less likely to tear.
- Use a large spoon or piping bag to stuff the shells. This will help to ensure that the shells are evenly filled.
- If you don't have any ricotta cheese on hand, you can substitute cottage cheese or cream cheese.
- To add more flavor to the dish, you can add some chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or artichoke hearts to the stuffing.
- To make the dish even more cheesy, you can sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top before baking.
- Serve the shells with a simple marinara sauce or a creamy Alfredo sauce.
Conclusion:
Stuffed shells are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. With a few simple tips, you can make stuffed shells that are sure to impress your family and friends.
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