Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr | Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins | Servings: 8
Enjoy a delicious, restaurant-quality Italian feast with your family at home with these amazing Stuffed Shells with Spinach. Easy to throw together with simple ingredients. And the stuffed mixture with three different kinds of cheese pairs so well with the homemade sausage marinara sauce. This is a nice rotation if you want to get away with the usual lasagna.
Ingredients
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Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb mild Italian sausage
½ c. yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp tomato paste
28 oz. crushed tomatoes, San Marzano recommended
½ tsp oregano, dried
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Stuffed Shells:
16 jumbo pasta shells, cook a couple extra in case some break
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
4 c. spinach leaves, packed, roughly chopped
15 oz. ricotta cheese, whole milk
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ c. Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, plus more for garnish
1 large Egg
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp black pepper
How to make Stuffed Shells with Spinach
Sauce:
Step 1: Heat a tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage to the hot oil and cook for about 5 minutes until no longer pink, breaking it up into small chunks as it cooks.
Step 2: To the pan, add in the onion and garlic. Stir well and continue to cook for another 2 minutes before adding in the tomato paste. Stir again and cook for a minute more. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper until well combined.
Step 3: Adjust the heat to medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Slightly cover the pan, adjust the heat to low, and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce begins to look dry, pour some water into the pan. Adjust the seasoning according to taste.
Step 4: Into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, add the meat sauce, spreading it evenly in the pan.
Stuffed Shells:
Step 1: To the middle position, adjust the oven rack, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F or 204 degrees C.
Step 2: In a large pot with 3-quart boiling water, cook the pasta following the package directions. Drain when done and place the shells on a sheet pan, then set aside.
Step 3: On medium heat, heat a large saute pan. Add in a tbsp olive oil. Add 2 tsp garlic once the oil is hot and saute for about 30 seconds until aromatic but not brown. Add in the spinach and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the wilted but the leaves are still bright green. This takes about 3 minutes. Then, take away from the heat when done and allow to cool.
Step 4: Combine the cooled spinach, 1 1/2 ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, a tsp salt, half tsp pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed.
Step 5: In a large resealable plastic bag or piping bag, transfer the cheese filling. Cut the one side of the bag, then pipe the pasta shells with the ricotta mixture. In the baking dish, place the stuffed shells and tent with aluminium foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble.
Step 6: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes:
For this recipe, you can use store-bought tomato sauce. Add in 3 cups or 28 ounces to the brown sausage and simmer for about 15 minutes.
In place of sausage, you can use either ground chicken, turkey, or beef.
To make this low-carb, use zucchini (thin sheets or boats) instead of pasta shells, also, small bell peppers or mushrooms caps (portobello medium or large sizes).
Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving: Calories 402 | Calories from Fat 225 | Fat 25g 38% | Saturated Fat 11g 55% | Cholesterol 90mg 30% | Sodium 1150mg 48% | Potassium 639mg 18% | Carbohydrates 24g 8% | Fiber 3g 12% | Sugar 6g 7% | Protein 20g 40% | Vitamin A 2130IU 43% | Vitamin C 16mg 19% | Calcium 322mg 32% | Iron 2.9mg 16%
Ingredients
- Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb mild Italian sausage
- ½ c. yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes, San Marzano recommended
- ½ tsp oregano, dried
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Stuffed Shells:
- 16 jumbo pasta shells, cook a couple extra in case some break
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 4 c. spinach leaves, packed, roughly chopped
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ c. Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, plus more for garnish
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Sauce:
Step 1: Heat a tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage to the hot oil and cook for about 5 minutes until no longer pink, breaking it up into small chunks as it cooks.
Step 2: To the pan, add in the onion and garlic. Stir well and continue to cook for another 2 minutes before adding in the tomato paste. Stir again and cook for a minute more. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper until well combined.
Step 3: Adjust the heat to medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Slightly cover the pan, adjust the heat to low, and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce begins to look dry, pour some water into the pan. Adjust the seasoning according to taste.
Step 4: Into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, add the meat sauce, spreading it evenly in the pan.
Stuffed Shells:
Step 1: To the middle position, adjust the oven rack, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F or 204 degrees C.
Step 2: In a large pot with 3-quart boiling water, cook the pasta following the package directions. Drain when done and place the shells on a sheet pan, then set aside.
Step 3: On medium heat, heat a large saute pan. Add in a tbsp olive oil. Add 2 tsp garlic once the oil is hot and saute for about 30 seconds until aromatic but not brown. Add in the spinach and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the wilted but the leaves are still bright green. This takes about 3 minutes. Then, take away from the heat when done and allow to cool.
Step 4: Combine the cooled spinach, 1 1/2 ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, a tsp salt, half tsp pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed.
Step 5: In a large resealable plastic bag or piping bag, transfer the cheese filling. Cut the one side of the bag, then pipe the pasta shells with the ricotta mixture. In the baking dish, place the stuffed shells and tent with aluminium foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble.
Step 6: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
For this recipe, you can use store-bought tomato sauce. Add in 3 cups or 28 ounces to the brown sausage and simmer for about 15 minutes. In place of sausage, you can use either ground chicken, turkey, or beef. To make this low-carb, use zucchini (thin sheets or boats) instead of pasta shells, also, small bell peppers or mushrooms caps (portobello medium or large sizes).
