Description
Cheesy, festive, and make-ahead friendly baked shells filled with ricotta and winter greens, topped with an herby tomato sauce and crunchy breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 18–24 jumbo pasta shells (about one 12–16 oz box)
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta, drained
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan, divided
- 1–1.5 cups cooked spinach (about 8–10 oz fresh before cooking) or chard, squeezed dry
- 1 small onion, divided (one half for sauce, one half for filling), finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, divided
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra to finish)
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter (melted) or olive oil (for breadcrumbs)
- Pomegranate seeds or roasted chestnuts for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook shells until just al dente; drain and spread lightly oiled on a tray.
- Make sauce: Sauté half of the onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for 6–8 minutes; add half of the minced garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and simmer for 20–30 minutes. Stir in basil.
- Make filling: Sauté the remaining onion and garlic in 1 tbsp oil, add spinach until wilted, and squeeze dry. Combine ricotta, egg, 3/4 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, spinach, herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Spread 1 cup of sauce in a 9×13 pan. Stuff shells with filling and place in the pan. Top with remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella, and parmesan. Sprinkle with panko tossed in butter if using.
- Cover with foil; bake for 25–30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10–12 minutes to brown. Rest for 8–10 minutes; garnish and serve.
Notes
To drain ricotta, set it in a sieve over a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. To freeze, assemble in a foil pan and freeze covered. Bake from frozen at 375°F, covered for 45–55 minutes, uncover, and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: Christmas, stuffed shells, holiday, pasta, baked dish