Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe (with Spinach)
A hearty vegetarian version of stuffed shells that is so satisfying and delicious, even meat-lovers will devour it! Packed with mushrooms, spinach, herbs, and 3 types of cheeses in a tomato sauce.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
For the Shells
- 1 , 12 ounce package of jumbo shells
- water for boiling
For the Filling
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 12 ounces sliced mushrooms, stems removed (baby bellas, white button, cremini, etc. also ok to use a blend!)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 cloves = ~ 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 Cups fresh spinach, stems removed & leaves ribboned
- 2 Cups cottage cheese
- 1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 + ½ Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
Sauce and Topping
- 1 , 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 , 24 ounce jar pasta sauce (select your favorite! we like to use a tomato basil sauce or marinara)
- 2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta per package directions, until they're al dente (under cooked is better than over cooked here as they'll be baked later).1 , 12 ounce package of jumbo shells, water for boiling
- Drain and rinse with cold water (this helps to prevent ripping when you are stuffing the shells later). Set aside.
- Cook the onions and mushrooms. While the pasta is cooking, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then sauté the mushrooms and finely diced onions with salt and pepper until the mushrooms have released their liquid, they've begun to brown, and most of the liquid has also cooked off (about 8-10 minutes).2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, finely diced, 12 ounces sliced mushrooms, stems removed, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Add the minced garlic, sautéing until the garlic is fragrant (approximately 30-seconds to 1 minute).2 cloves garlic, minced
- Add the parsley and spinach to the skillet and cook until the spinach wilts (about 1-2 minutes).1 Cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, 2 Cups fresh spinach, stems removed & leaves ribboned
- Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the filling ingredients. Set aside.2 Cups cottage cheese, 1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1 + ½ Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- Mix together the diced tomatoes and pasta sauce in a large bowl and set aside.1 , 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained, 1 , 24 ounce jar pasta sauce
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan and spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce mixture across the bottom.
- Stuff the shells and place them into the pan. Stuff each shell with about a 1 Tablespoon portion of the filling and place them opening side down, in a single layer, in the prepared pan. Repeat until the pan is filled (you may have a few noodles leftover).
- Cover the shells with the remaining sauce.
- Top the shells with the cheese. Sprinkle an even layer of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the shells.2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Cover with tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the shells 'rest' about 10 minutes before serving. Optionally garnish with fresh basil, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Variation Idea: if desired, replace the cottage cheese with ricotta cheese one-for-one. It's a traditional ingredient in a stuffed shells filling and tastes good.
Storage: fully cooled stuffed shells can be stored tightly-covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze stuffed shells before or after baking for up to 3 months, as well a assemble up to 1-day ahead for an easy make-ahead option. See the blog post for detailed instructions.
