Best 5 Ricotta And Spinach Stuffed Shells Recipes

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Indulge in a culinary journey with our exquisite Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells, a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. This classic Italian dish showcases a medley of textures and vibrant flavors, featuring tender pasta shells generously filled with a velvety ricotta and spinach filling, enveloped in a rich and savory tomato sauce. Each bite offers a delightful burst of creamy ricotta, vibrant spinach, and aromatic herbs, complemented by a tangy tomato sauce that ties all the elements together. Whether you're seeking a comforting weeknight meal or a showstopping dish for a special occasion, our Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells will leave you craving for more.

**Other Delectable Recipes to Explore:**

- **Creamy Pesto Stuffed Shells:** Experience a vibrant twist on classic stuffed shells with this recipe. Bursting with the freshness of basil and the nutty flavor of pine nuts, these shells are filled with a creamy pesto filling and smothered in a velvety tomato sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.

- **Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells:** Elevate your taste buds with a trio of cheeses in this luscious recipe. A combination of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses creates a rich and flavorful filling, encased in tender pasta shells and baked to perfection. Prepare to be captivated by the gooey, cheesy goodness in every bite.

- **Baked Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Shells:** Embark on a culinary adventure with this delightful recipe. A vibrant filling of spinach, artichoke hearts, and a hint of garlic is nestled inside pasta shells, then smothered in a creamy Alfredo sauce and baked until golden brown. Each bite promises a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave you craving for more.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

STUFFED SHELLS WITH SPINACH, RICOTTA, AND COTTAGE CHEESE



Stuffed Shells with Spinach, Ricotta, and Cottage Cheese image

This is one recipe that my family never gets tired off. Works great all the time! I like to serve this with toasted Italian bread and salad. Leftovers can be used for lunch.

Provided by basementbakery

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta

Time 1h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 pound jumbo pasta shells
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
4 tablespoons water
1 pound cottage cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped onion
1 egg
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 cups pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes; do not overcook. Drain and rinse shells with cold water.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Place frozen spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and add water. Heat in the microwave for 4 minutes. Stir and allow to cool. Squeeze spinach dry and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, egg, garlic, oregano, basil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the spinach and mix well.
  • Pour and spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each cooked pasta shell with spinach mixture and arrange, filled-side up, in the baking dish, keeping 1/2 inch between shells. Carefully pour remaining sauce on top of shells and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 512 calories, Carbohydrate 68 g, Cholesterol 56.5 mg, Fat 13.9 g, Fiber 7.4 g, Protein 28.6 g, SaturatedFat 6.7 g, Sodium 1016.6 mg, Sugar 14 g

STUFFED SHELLS FILLED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA



Stuffed Shells Filled With Spinach and Ricotta image

These are comforting and easy to put together. You can make them ahead and heat them in the oven when you're ready for dinner.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories     dinner, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 1h

Yield About 40 shells, serving 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound baby spinach, rinsed, or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt to taste
12 ounces giant pasta shells
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste, cut in half, green shoots removed
10 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 ounces Parmesan, grated about 1/2 cup
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the spinach for no more than 20 seconds, just until wilted, and transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta shells. Cook al dente, about 10 minutes, and drain and toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
  • Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the spinach and pulse to chop finely. Add the ricotta and the egg and process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well blended.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish or two 2-quart dishes. The shells should fit into the dish in one layer. Fill each shell with a scant tablespoon of the filling. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. Top with the tomato sauce and cover the dish with foil.
  • Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 424, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 54 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 21 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 672 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams

RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFED PASTA SHELLS



Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells image

Make and share this Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Terese

Categories     Pasta Shells

Time 1h25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

32 large pasta shells (conchiglioni in Italian)
500 g spinach
250 g low-fat ricotta cheese
500 g low fat cottage cheese
600 ml bottled pasta sauce
250 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, 3 minutes; drain.
  • Cool slightly.
  • Preheat oven to moderate.
  • Boil, steam or microwave spinach until just wilted; drain.
  • Chop spinach finely, squeeze out excess liquid.
  • Combine spinach in a large bowl with ricotta and cottage cheese; spoon spinach mixture into pasta shells.
  • Combine sauce and stock in oiled shallow 2 litre (8 cup) ovenproof dish.
  • Place pasta shells in dish; sprinkle with parmesan.
  • Bake, covered, in moderate oven about 1 hour or until pasta is tender.

RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS



Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells image

Part-skim ricotta keeps calories at bay; spinach and bulgur deliver antioxidants and fiber. The complex carbs in pasta boost serotonin, the mood-stabilizing neurochemical.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Pasta and Grains

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup bulgur
25 jumbo pasta shells
1 pound bunch spinach, stems removed
1 15-oz. container part-skim ricotta
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Steps:

  • Pulse tomatoes and their juices in a food processor until smooth.
  • Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour boiling water over bulgur, cover, and let stand until soft and water is absorbed, 30 minutes.
  • Cook shells in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain and let cool.
  • Steam spinach, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Squeeze out excess moisture, coarsely chop, and add to bulgur. Stir in ricotta. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg.
  • Coat bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with 1 cup sauce. Spoon filling into shells and arrange in pan. Add remaining sauce, cover with foil, and bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 392 g, Cholesterol 59 g, Fat 11 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 339 g

STUFFED SHELLS WITH RICOTTA AND SPINACH (BY GERTC96 & 2BLEU)



Stuffed Shells With Ricotta and Spinach (By Gertc96 & 2bleu) image

9/24/08: As the original recipe looked great in a magazine, it didn't fare well by us nor some reviewers, so we felt it needed a serious make-over. We asked our dear zaar buddy, Chef #279989, to help us reconstruct it. Chef #279989 is very creative and has some wonderful recipes of her own, so we knew it would be in good hands. The revision includes a different type of pasta, and the addition of mushrooms, bacon, mozarella, and egg. The other changes are more subtle and more to do with preparation. Gert suggests adding tomato sauce, but we may try it with alfredo sauce, or perhaps a bit of both. 9/27/08 - We made these for dinner tonight using tomato sauce and fresh spinach. We gave it 5 stars all-the-way! Buddha loved it as it, but for my tastes, I would omit the bacon. The filling really makes alot, but no worries, because you can bake the extra filling in a small casserole dish as it is outstanding! Kudos to you Gert, and thanks for turning a not-so-great recipe into a 5 star spectacular!

Provided by 2Bleu

Categories     Pasta Shells

Time 40m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

12 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente'
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup mushroom, chopped
1 (10 ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed of moisture (or use fresh)
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/2 tablespoon dried tarragon
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 cup tomato sauce or 1 cup alfredo sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Steps:

  • In a saute pan over medium-high heat, fry bacon till crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
  • Melt butter in the pan with the bacon grease. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute' until just soft.
  • Add spinach and green onions. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set spinach mixture into a mesh strainer to drain.
  • In large bowl, combine, ricotta, mozarella, egg, parsley, tarragon. Season with more salt/pepper to taste. Add spinach mixture to the ricotta mixture and mix well.
  • Spread tomato sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon spinach/cheese mixture into the cooked shells. Place filled shells into the baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. NOTE: If you have leftover filling, place it in a ramekin or small baking dish and bake along side of the shells. It's delicious!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 196.6, Fat 12.6, SaturatedFat 6.7, Cholesterol 65.5, Sodium 598.7, Carbohydrate 7.6, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 2.8, Protein 14.7

Tips:

  • To save time, use a food processor to chop the spinach.
  • If you don't have a food processor, finely chop the spinach by hand.
  • Be sure to squeeze out all the excess moisture from the spinach before adding it to the ricotta cheese filling.
  • If you don't have any Parmesan cheese, you can substitute another hard cheese, such as Romano or Asiago.
  • If you don't have any heavy cream, you can substitute milk.
  • To make the shells easier to stuff, cook them for a few minutes less than the package directions.
  • Be careful not to overfill the shells, or they will burst open during baking.
  • If you have any leftover filling, you can use it to stuff other pasta shapes, such as manicotti or ravioli.

Conclusion:

Ricotta and spinach stuffed shells are a delicious and easy-to-make meal that is perfect for any occasion. With a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can create a dish that your family and friends will love. So next time you're looking for a new recipe to try, give ricotta and spinach stuffed shells a try!

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