Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells (Printable Version)

Creamy spinach and cheese fill jumbo shells with marinara, ideal for freezing or easy oven-baked dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
02 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 1 cup cooked spinach, thoroughly drained and finely chopped
04 - 1 large egg
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Pasta

07 - 20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked

→ Assembly

08 - 2 cups marinara sauce

# Directions:

01 - Combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, cooked spinach, egg, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix until uniformly blended.
02 - Fill each cooked pasta shell generously with the spinach and cheese mixture.
03 - Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour marinara sauce evenly over the shells.
04 - Cover the dish tightly with foil and freeze until needed. For baking, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the frozen shells covered for 45 to 50 minutes until heated through and bubbling.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Ready to bake straight from the freezer for convenience
  • Can easily be doubled or halved for different family sizes
  • Delivers a creamy cheesy texture with every bite
  • A clever way to sneak in more greens for the kids
02 -
  • Perfect for make ahead meal plans
  • Freezes like a dream with no loss in texture
  • Great way to use up leftover greens or extra cheese
03 -
  • For ultra creamy filling drain ricotta in a fine mesh sieve before mixing
  • Always squeeze spinach dry to avoid a watery casserole
  • Let dish rest for ten minutes after baking so the cheesy filling sets and scoops neatly
  • Never rush the baking time from frozen It ensures the shells heat through and stay soft
  • A dash of grated nutmeg into the filling can add a warm hint of flavor