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    Home » Pasta/Noodles » Stuffed Pasta Shells

    Stuffed Pasta Shells

    October 18, 2018

    33841 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These cheesy stuffed pasta shells are filled with three types of cheese, spinach, basil, and delicious aromatics! This stuffed shells recipe is perfect for serving a large family or taking to a potluck.

    stuffed pasta shells in red sauce in a circular dish

    What are stuffed shells?

    Stuffed shells is a delicious dinner idea. Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a mixture of different fresh cheese and herbs. Then, they are baked in an aromatic marinara sauce. You will never forget this incredible recipe!

    Why this recipe works

    a spoon lifting a stuffed shell out of the pan

    These cheesy stuffed pasta shells are an easy and flavorful dinner to feed the family or bring to a potluck.

    Cook jumbo pasta shells until al dente, stuff with a three-cheese spinach filling, and then bake in the oven till the cheese is melted and bubbling.

    Cooking tip:

    For less mess and ease, utilize a piping bag to stuff the shells.

    Best type of pasta shells for stuffed shells

    box of jumbo pasta shells

    For this recipe, I use jumbo shells, but you can also use manicotti with the same recipe.

    Ensure the pasta shells are cooked to al dente. If the pasta shells are overcooked, they will be hard to stuff and break apart.

    Once the shells are done, strain and run some cold water over them to stop the cooking!

    Filling ingredients

    stuffed shell filling ingredients on a cutting board: cheese, spinach, basil, red sauce

    The filling of the stuffed shells will consist of:

    • Mozzarella
    • Parmesan
    • Ricotta
    • Spinach
    • Garlic
    • Egg
    • Basil

    Remember to use the freshest ingredients that you can find. Fresh ingredients always have more flavor!

    Best cheese for baked stuffed shells

    shredded cheese on a box cheese grater

    I like to freshly grate the parmesan and mozzarella cheese for this recipe. Most pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents in them, and they don’t melt as well.

    Mozzarella can be difficult to grate since it is so soft.

    Cheese tip:

    For the remaining piece that you can’t grate, you can use a knife to chop it up.

    Cooking stuffed pasta shells

    cooking spinach and garlic in a skillet
    1. Roughly chop the spinach leaves. This makes it easier when stuffing the shells, so you don’t have long strings of it.
    2. In a skillet, sauté the roughly chopped fresh spinach and minced garlic. I would advise against using frozen spinach because it will make the filling watery.

    Making the filling

    mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, egg being mixed in a bowl
    1. In a mixing bowl, add the sautéd spinach and garlic.
    2. Then add the shredded mozzarella, shredded parmesan, ricotta, chopped basil, one egg, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and pepper.
    3. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.

    Filling tip:

    The cheese is salty, so be mindful not to add extra salt to the mixture.

    How-to stuff the shells

    cheese filling in a plastic piping bag

    It wasn’t until maybe the 10th time that I made this stuffed pasta shells recipe that I found a better way to stuff the shells. I’ve always used a spoon but ended up having more on me than in the actual shells [facepalm].

    Putting the filling in a bag and then piping it into the shells was easier and less messy!

    stuffed shells in red sauce pre-oven

    You can use a rectangular baking dish or a circular one like a dutch oven. Spread arrabbiata sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. I like using arrabbiata because it gives the dish a nice kick.

    Sauce tip:

    If you don’t like spicy flavors, you can substitute it with your favorite red sauce.

    spinach and ricotta stuffed shells in red sauce

    If you have any leftover filling but no more room to add shells, you can add some more filling to the ones you may have skimped on. Then top the shells with some parmesan cheese, cover with foil, and into the oven they go.

    Baking the stuffed shells

    overhead of stuffed pasta shells in red sauce with fresh basil

    The stuffed shells bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil at the end of the cooking time and broil to get the cheese brown and bubbly.

    Baking tip:

    Keep a close eye on them when broiling, so you do not burn the cheese.

    stuffed pasta shells in a baking dish with fresh basil

    Once done cooking, top with freshly chopped basil and additional red pepper flakes (optional), and serve!

    What to serve with stuffed shells

    I love serving these stuffed shells with some homemade roasted garlic bread. Or, make some cast iron garlic dinner rolls on the side. Either choice is perfect!

    stuffed pasta shell being lifted out of baking dish with a spoon

    How-to make low-carb stuffed shells

    Love this stuffed shells recipe, but looking for a low-carb option? Try my stuffed zucchini rolls, which have the same stuffing with hot Italian sausage inside!

    close up of stuffed pasta shells in red sauce

    FAQs

    Here are some questions people often ask about making stuffed shells. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.

    Should I grate the cheese at home?

    Use fresh mozzarella and fresh parmesan and grate them yourself. Most shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that don’t allow them to melt as well.

    How long should I pre-cook the shells for?

    Cook the pasta shells al dente so they do not fall apart when stuffing and baking.

    What is the easiest way to stuff the shells?

    You can use a spoon to stuff shells. For ease and less mess, use a ziplock bag to pipe the filling into the shells.

    How do you make this recipe less spicy?

    I use the arrabbiata sauce to surround the stuffed pasta shells. If you do not like spicy flavors, you can substitute your favorite red sauce.

    Can you freeze stuffed shells?

    If you want to prepare in advance and freeze: Follow steps 1-5 in the recipe card. Once you have stuffed the pasta shells, place them in a freezer-friendly bag.

    When ready to bake, proceed with the red sauce, and add 5-10 minutes to bake time.

    overhead of stuffed pasta shells in red sauce with fresh basil

    For the web story version of this recipe, click here!

    Made this recipe and loved it? Leave a star rating below!

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    stuffed pasta shells in red sauce in a circular dish

    Stuffed Pasta Shells

    These spinach and cheese stuffed shells are a cheese lovers dream! With 3 cheeses, spinach, and delicious aromatics, this stuffed shells recipe is the perfect vegetarian family meal.
    4.55 from 81 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Pasta/Noodles
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Italian, pasta, stuffed shells, three cheese stuffed shells
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 669kcal
    Author: Stephanie

    Equipment

    • Lodge Enameled Skillet
    • Le Creuset Stoneware Rectangular Dish
    • All Clad Stock Pot

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces Barilla jumbo shells
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
    • 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves roughly-chopped
    • 12 ounces skim-milk ricotta cheese
    • 1 cup skim-milk mozzarella cheese shredded
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
    • 1 large egg
    • ¼ cup fresh basil chopped & more for garnish
    • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt divided
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
    • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 24 ounces arrabbiata sauce or any red sauce

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
    • In a large pot, cook jumbo shells according to package instruction to al dente (don’t over cook or they will break when filling). Drain and rise with cold water to stop the cooking. You can drizzle a little olive oil so they don’t stick together.
    • In a high walled skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil. Add garlic and cook till fragrant about a minute. Add in chopped spinach, ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper, ¼ tsp kosher salt, and sauté till spinach begins to wilt. About 2-3 min.
    • In a large bowl add sautéd spinach mixture, mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, egg, basil, red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp salt and pepper, and mix together.
    • In a rectangular or circular baking dish, spread all the red sauce on the bottom in an even layer. Then stuff the shells. You can use a spoon to stuff the shells or make a piping bag for an easier less messy stuffing. Pour the filling into a gallon ziplock bag, push it all to one of the bottom corners and seal the bag. Cut the corner of the bag and squeeze to fill each shell with filling.
    • Cover with foil and bake the stuffed shells for 20 minutes. Remove foil and broil until cheese begins to bubble and brown. Keep a close eye so the cheese does not burn.
    • Carefully remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil, additional red pepper flakes (optional) and serve.

    Notes

    • Use fresh mozzarella and fresh parmesan and grate them yourself. Most shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that don’t allow them to melt as good.
    • Cook the pasta shells al dente, so they do not fall apart when stuffing and cooking.
    • You can use a spoon to stuff shells. For ease and less mess, use a ziplock bag to pipe the filling into the shells
    • I use arrabbiata sauce to surround the shells, if you do not like spicy sub your favorite red sauce
    • If you want to prepare in advance and freeze: Follow steps 1-5 in the recipe card. Once you have stuffed the pasta shells, place them in a freezer friendly bag. When ready to bake, proceed with the red sauce, and add 10 minutes to bake time (to total 30 minutes or until warmed through)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 669kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 1720mg | Potassium: 1296mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 8249IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 743mg | Iron: 6mg
    Made this recipe?Mention @GirlWithTheIronCast or tag #girlwiththeironcast!
    Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping »
    33841 shares

    Originally Published: October 18, 2018 Post Updated: January 31, 2023 Filed Under: Cast Iron, Dinner, Fall Favorites, Favorites, Italian, Pasta/Noodles, Recipes, Vegetarian, Winter Comfort Tagged With: Basil, garlic, spinach, Tomatoes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. KPatterson

      March 15, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      4 stars
      I made this last night and while really good (!) then, it was even better after “mingling” overnight. I’m not a fan when people take a good recipe and change this and that and then say I didn’t like it. Well you didn’t make the same dish so you shouldn’t comment negatively. I did change two things only because of packaging sizes. I had a 15 oz. container of ricotta so added a little more. My fresh mozzarella was a touch larger so added a little more. I off-set that by adding a little more of everything else. I tried to keep it as original as I could. It’s easy to put together, and smells amazing along the way. This is a great dish, I’m grateful for the recipe, and it’s something my family will look very forward to having again!

      Reply
    2. Frances Sullivan

      February 13, 2022 at 9:28 pm

      Do you have a recipe for the arrabbiata sauce? I would love to have it. Thank you so much for these mouth watering recipes.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        February 13, 2022 at 9:29 pm

        Hi Frances, I use store bought arrabbiata sauce for this recipe. Thank you so much for your support!

        Reply
    3. Lyndsi

      November 29, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      These are a favorite of mine that I continue to make time and time again. The recipe is clear and very easy to follow even for cooks who are not the most experienced.

      Reply
    4. Mary

      February 28, 2021 at 8:23 pm

      Planned on making this tonight and then couldn’t find jumbo shells at my grocery store. So, made a quick decision and used this same recipe to make lasagna rolls. Definitely not the same dish without the delicate shells but worked in a pinch!!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        February 28, 2021 at 8:53 pm

        Mary, way to pivot! So glad you got creative and made it work. Great idea!

        Reply
    5. Cindy

      February 11, 2021 at 11:27 pm

      This really is amazing. I made my own arrabbiata sauce and it made it especially good. I love spice! Thank you for your amazing recipes!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        February 11, 2021 at 11:42 pm

        Cindy, I am so glad you loved the recipe! Homemade arrabbiata sounds amazing. Thank you for your support!

        Reply
    6. Dorita Henderson

      October 12, 2020 at 11:50 am

      Made these yesterday. They were amazing. I’ve always used frozen spinach, but the fresh is so much better. Can’t wait to make make more of your recipes. Thanks!
      Dorita

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        October 12, 2020 at 11:52 am

        I’m so glad you loved the recipe Dorita!

        Reply
    7. Jenny

      June 21, 2020 at 2:19 pm

      Followed the directions for freezing and had to add an additional 35 min of cook time for it to be warm ask the way through, instead of 10 like the directions say.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        June 21, 2020 at 3:06 pm

        Hi Jenny! I should have been more specific for the freezing directions. In the directions it says to add 5-10 minutes to the bake time of 20 minutes. I will edit to be more clear and include total bake time. Sorry about that!

        Reply
    8. Lindi

      January 25, 2020 at 10:28 pm

      Could I add artichoke hearts to this dish?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 25, 2020 at 10:30 pm

        Hi Lindi! I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not! I love artichoke hearts and believe the flavors would go well with the rest of the filling.

        Reply
    9. Deb

      December 28, 2019 at 3:48 pm

      I’m wondering if anyone has ever frozen the leftovers? Not sure because of the cheeses. Thanks

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        December 28, 2019 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Deb, I personally have never tried freezing the leftovers (cause there’s never any leftover haha). But I have had people freeze the shells prior to cooking and then when ready to bake, adding the red sauce and proceeding.

        Reply
    10. Courtney

      December 04, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      This is the second time I have made these and they’re AMAZING! This time I added some ground Italian sausage to this mix and it was a great addition. Super simple recipe that is a new staple for me.

      Reply
      • Jessie

        June 28, 2020 at 8:35 pm

        This was soo delicious! Thank you for sharing. It was definitely a hit!!

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          June 28, 2020 at 8:43 pm

          I’m so glad you love them Jessie!

          Reply
    11. Nicole

      November 27, 2019 at 5:07 pm

      Can you substitute fresh spinach with frozen spinach?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        November 27, 2019 at 5:13 pm

        I have never tried it with frozen spinach and I wouldn’t recommend due to the excess water and different consistency frozen spinach lends

        Reply
    12. Courtney

      August 29, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this and it’s delicious and so easy! The recipe is impossible to mess up! New go to meal for sure! Very quick and easy to follow instructions made it fool proof even for me!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        August 29, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it Courtney!! It’s one of my fav meals too

        Reply
        • Dana cohen

          September 20, 2019 at 9:50 pm

          This is my absolute favorite recipe! It’s easy to make and everyone enjoys it! Great go-to for a smaller gathering or larger group. So delicious and highly recommend. Thanks Stef for creating a simple, delicious recipe!

          Reply
    13. Rebecca

      January 28, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      This dish is why I started to follow GWTIC’s recipes. Someone posted it and I just simply had to make it for myself and guys, OH-EM-GEE….So good!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 28, 2019 at 3:39 pm

        This will always be my favorite recipe no matter what I cook! I’m so glad you enjoyed it

        Reply
    14. Brittany Melim

      November 15, 2018 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars
      These shells are so delicious and the recipe was so easy to follow! This will definitely become a regular dish at our house 🙂

      Reply

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