Stuffed Shells Recipe - Spend With Pennies

Put together to fall in love with this simple dinner!

These stuffed shells are crammed with ricotta cheese, spinach, and herbs. It’s all tucked into jumbo pasta shells and baked with marinara and extra cheese.

This stuffed shells recipe is straightforward, tacky consolation meals.

plated Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe with dish full in the background

Savory Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shell recipes are meatless, filling, and flavorful.
Three cheese stuffed shells are simple however spectacular to make or to reward since everybody loves a hearty and comforting casserole.
Put together it forward of time and pop it within the oven after a busy day, really easy.
Excellent as a vegetarian meal however carnivores love this recipe too!

ricotta , egg , spinach , marinara , parmesan , pasta shells , seasonings , and mozzarella with labels

Elements for Stuffed Shells

Pasta Shells – This recipe makes use of jumbo shells which could be present in nearly any grocery retailer. Be happy to swap in manicotti or flip the filling into lasagna roll-ups.
Ricotta Cheese – That is the creamy base for the filling, for a budget-friendly choice, substitute it with cottage cheese.
Spinach – Use frozen chopped spinach or replace the frozen spinach with recent cooked spinach.
Filling – Egg helps maintain the filling collectively, whereas parmesan cheese and seasonings add taste.
Marinara Sauce – Retailer-bought or homemade marinara, both works nice. For a twist, attempt Alfredo or cheese sauce.
Mozzarella Cheese – Provides that bubbly, golden prime. Attempt various kinds of cheese or use an Italian mix of shredded cheese.

Recipe Variations

Add cooked floor Italian sausage, floor beef, floor turkey, or diced rooster into the filling combine.
Up your veggie consumption with diced bell peppers, finely chopped cooked broccoli, shredded cooked zucchini, mushrooms, or shredded carrots.
Stir in some chopped shrimp or crab meat or different favourite cooked seafood.
Swap the seasoning for Italian seasoning or add in a couple of pink pepper flakes or a touch of sizzling sauce to warmth issues up.

ingredients in a bowl to make Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe

adding spinach mixture to shells to make Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe

Tips on how to Make Stuffed Shells

Cook dinner Shells: Cook dinner pasta shells al dente.
Put together the Filling: Put together the filling as directed within the recipe beneath.
Fill & Bake: Gently scoop or pipe the cheese combination into every shell and place in a casserole dish. Prime with cheese & bake.

Add in a facet of garlic bread and a tossed salad for a scrumptious meal!

Stuffed shells are simple to make, listed here are a couple of suggestions for perfection!

Further Shells: Cook dinner a couple of extra pasta shells than you want, as some may break throughout boiling or stuffing.
Al Dente Pasta: Don’t overcook the shells (rinse beneath chilly water to cease cooking). They need to be cooked al dente (agency) as they’ll proceed to bake within the oven.
Sauce on Backside: Unfold marinara sauce within the baking dish earlier than inserting the stuffed shells to stop sticking.
Simple Filling: A piping bag or a zip-top bag with a nook snipped off makes filling the shells a breeze.

cheesy Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe in the dish

Make-Forward Meal & Leftovers

Prep Forward: Assemble this stuffed shells recipe and pop it within the fridge till you’re able to bake. If it’s chilled from the fridge, it’s possible you’ll want so as to add 10 minutes of additional cooking time.
Freezer-Pleasant: When freezing unbaked stuffed shells, comply with the recipe however maintain off on that cheese topping. Be sure the filling is cool. Then, wrap your dish tightly first with plastic wrap, then foil. It will likely be good within the freezer for as much as a month. To serve, thaw the casserole in a single day within the fridge earlier than baking. Add quarter-hour to the cooking time.
Leftovers: Retailer leftover stuffed shells as much as 4 days in an hermetic container within the fridge. Reheat within the microwave or the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F.

Extra Make Forward Favorites

Listed below are a couple of extra make forward favorites:

taking Classic Stuffed Shells Recipe out of the dish

Extra Tacky Pasta Favorites

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Traditional Stuffed Shells Recipe

Jumbo shells full of creamy ricotta and hearty spinach, baked to perfection in a zesty marinara sauce and topped with bubbly, golden cheese!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 50 minutes

Whole Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Preheat oven to 350°F and frivolously spritz a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook dinner till al dente, per package deal directions. Drain, then instantly run beneath chilly water to cease cooking.
In a separate bowl, combine collectively the ricotta, spinach, ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, dried parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper. Switch this combination to a piping bag or a big zippered bag and reduce off ½-inch on the finish.
Unfold 1 cup of marinara sauce within the backside of the ready baking dish.
Fill every pasta shell with the ricotta combination and prepare them within the baking dish, guaranteeing the filling is split evenly. You might need to squish the shells just a little to suit.
Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with mozzarella and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
Bake within the preheated oven for half-hour, or till the sides are bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Cook dinner a couple of additional shells in case any break whereas filling.
Use a piping bag or freezer bag to pipe the filling. Shells may also be crammed utilizing a small spoon.
Prep Forward: Assemble this stuffed shells recipe and pop them within the fridge till you’re able to bake. In the event that they’re chilled from the fridge, it’s possible you’ll want so as to add 10 minutes of additional cooking time.
Freezer Pleasant: When freezing unbaked stuffed shells, comply with the recipe however maintain off on that cheese topping. Be sure the filling is cool. Then, wrap your dish tightly first with plastic wrap, then foil. They’ll be good within the freezer for as much as a month. To serve, thaw the casserole in a single day within the fridge earlier than baking. Add quarter-hour to the cooking time.

Diet info offered is an estimate and can range primarily based on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Essential Course, Pasta

Delicacies American, Italian

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