Stuffed Shells: A Cheesy Delight

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Italian-American comfort food
• Makes a big batch, perfect for families or freezing
• Freezer-friendly, so you can have a delicious meal on hand whenever you need it

Ingredients

• Large pasta shells




• Frozen spinach
• Ricotta cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Egg










• Garlic
• Ground nutmeg
• Marinara sauce
• Fresh basil

Instructions

1. Cook the shells: Boil the shells in salted water until al dente.
2. Squeeze the spinach dry: Remove the spinach from the microwave and squeeze out any excess water.
3. Combine the filling ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Fill the shells: Spoon or pipe the filling into the pasta shells.
5. Arrange the shells: Place the shells in a baking dish with marinara sauce on the bottom.
6. Finish: Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
7. Let cool: Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Variations

• Stuffed Shells With Meat:
  
  
  Add ground beef, turkey, or Italian sausage to the filling.
• Stuffed Shells With Cottage Cheese: Use cottage cheese instead of ricotta.
• Stuffed Shells With Roasted Broccoli: Roast broccoli and add it to the filling with chopped olives.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Warm up leftovers in a baking dish covered with foil at 350°F.
• Freeze:
  Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Meal Prep Tip

You can assemble the shells up to the point of baking and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What to Serve with Stuffed Shells

• Salad
• Bread
• Roasted vegetables
• Meatballs