Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells

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Ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta shells are a delicious and hearty Italian dish that combines tender pasta shells, creamy ricotta cheese, and nutritious spinach, all baked in a savory tomato sauce. It's a perfect comfort food that everyone can enjoy!

Whether it's Mother's Day, Date Night, or Sunday Dinner, this recipe will surely please everyone at the table. If you want to make it for Mom's special day, you could start the meal with Drunken Mussels or Cauliflower Bravas. You could also roast some veggies with the stuffed shells and serve Red Sangria or a sweet and tangy drink. And for dessert, you could make Guava Delight Cakes.

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Why this recipe works
Ingredients
Variations/Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Insider secrets for perfecting your pasta dish
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
More Mother's Day Recipes
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Comments

Why this recipe works

Delicious! The creamy and cheesy filling, made with ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino romano, and spinach, bakes well and holds its texture in the oven. Making every bite full of flavor. Not to mention the tangy Grape Tomato Confit used instead of tomato sauce. Sets this dish in a different plane.
It's a crowd-pleaser: The beauty of this recipe is that it can have as much or as little sauce as anyone would like. It will surely impress your guests.
Versatile: The dish can be made with different pasta shells, cheeses, and sauces, making it a versatile recipe that can be customized to suit your taste and preferences. You can add different herbs and spices to the filling to create unique flavor profiles.

Ingredients

Jumbo Pasta Shells: I am using Jumbo Pasta Shells. For this recipe, tubes and shaped pasta work the best. Types of Tubes are manicotti and cannellonii pastas. Tube pasta is pasta that is produced by extrusion and could be filled with a pipping bag. Manicotti has ridges similar to lasagna ribbons throughout the length of the pasta, while cannelloni has a smooth body. Shell pasta fall under the category of shape pasta. Shape pasta is also created through extrusion. The beauty of shell pasta is that you do not need a pipping bag. The shell has an opening where you can insert the filling, be it meat or cheese, as it is, in this case, with a spoon. Another pasta that will lend itself well to this filling is lasagna ribbons. Ribbons are pasta that is rolled thin and cut into strips or ribbons. A generous serving of the cheese mixture can be placed at the end of the pasta ribbon and then rolled and fastened with toothpicks throughout the cooking process. For a complete list of different types of pasta, check the post Types of pasta shapes.
Ricotta: Ricotta is part of the soft cheese family whose delicious members include but are not limited to cottage cheese, cream cheese, and goat cheese. Made of leftover whey while making other cow’s milk cheeses. Ricotta is white, small-grained, and sweet in flavor. Ricotta could be a watery cheese, so allowing it to drain before use is advised. To do so, add cheesecloth to a strainer inside a bowl and allow the cheese to rest for a few hours overnight. Please keep the cheese refrigerated during this process.
Spinach: Part of the dark green vegetable family, spinach is a leafy green that can be eaten raw, cooked, or in smoothies. Unfortunately, spinach is a veggie that cooks faster than you expect and could go from flavorful goodness to bitter and sour instantly. The mixture of spinach and ricotta is a classic combination that will not disappoint. I opt to warm a bit of oil and quickly saute the spinach. Remove from the heat as soon as the leaves are soft and wilted.
Lemon: This is the secret ingredient. So secret, I forgot to photograph it in the image above. To be more specific, lemon zest. Lemon zest helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the bitterness of the spinach and enhances the sweetness of the ricotta. Plus, it gives a burst of freshness to the entire dish. Add three scrapes of lemon zest to the spinach and ricotta cheese mixture. The lemon zest will have a small lemony burst in every bite. Add three more scrapes of lemon zest to the tomatoes to balance out their natural acidity, bringing forth the sweetness that hides underneath.

See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.

Variations/Substitutions

Because not everyone likes the same things here are a few variations and substitutions.

Manicotti or Cannelloni: Both of these options will work perfectly for this application. Using a pasta that can be stuffed helps with portion control as well as it makes an impressive meal.
Pomodoro or Bolognese Sauce: Traditionally this recipe is made with tomato sauce. I chose to use a tomato confit instead because I wanted to experiment with the confit recipe.
Ground Beef, Turkey, or Sausage: Use a mixture of ground meat or sausage mixed with shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese with basil, top it with tomatoes sauce or bolognese and your stuffed shells will sure satisfy any meat eater’s appetite.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here are a few notes on the recipe before putting it all together.

Check your ricotta to see the water content. I didn't drain my ricotta before making this recipe. However, it is a good practice to drain it before use, especially on applications like this, as it will bring moisture that could render your dish wet.
Sauté the spinach and let it cool completely. Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add as much spinach as possible, the whole bag if possible. The spinach will wilt quickly, so do not leave the pan alone for too long. At first, moving the spinach around on the pan will be difficult, but as the leaves wilt, it becomes easier. For added flavor, add thinly sliced garlic to the oil. This, too, will burn fast, so you need to stay with the pan for the entire process. If the spinach seems too wet, let it cool on a paper towel lined plate to draw out the moisture.
Preheat the oven to 325℉.

three bowls with cheeses, ricotta, mozzarella, and pecorino

Mix ricotta, mozzarella and pecorino romano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a couple of scrapes of lemon zest for an added pop of freshness to the mixture.

cooked shell pasta cooling in ice water.

Cook your pasta. I cooked the pasta under al dente only because the pasta will bake in the oven for another 20 minutes in sauce and cheese. Once the pasta is cooled, drain the water and make sure the pasta has no water pockets inside.

mixing spinach with ricotta cheese mixture.

Once the spinach has cooled down, chop it to a mince. Add the spinach to the ricotta cheese mixture and fold. You want to distribute the spinach throughout the mixture. If you did not drain your ricotta beforehand, look for the consistency of the mixture. Keep in mind that the spinach will provide more moisture to the mix. If the mixture seems too wet, beating an egg into it will help thicken it as it cooks.

a saute pan with cooked grape tomatoes and oil.

I opted not to use pasta sauce for this recipe. I will provide a recipe for tomato confit in the following weeks. Please stay tuned. Tomato confit is tomatoes cooked with garlic, shallots, and thyme in olive oil until soft. However, this recipe pairs perfectly with a hearty tomato sauce or bolognese.

a brownie pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce

Pour confit or Tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. I used my brownie pan. You want t a thin layer, and reserve some sauce or confit for drizzling over the top of the pasta shells.

Stuffed shells in a brownie pan with tomato sauce drizzled over it.

Use. a spoon to fill the centers of the pasta shells. Arrange the shells in the pan and top them with a thin layer of sauce. Use your discretion or preference. I have seen this recipe with enough sauce to cover the shells; however, I love seeing them as they are and not covering up the hard work.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325℉ for 20 minutes covered with aluminum foil and then for 10 minutes uncovered until the shells are golden and the cheese is gooey. Serve six shells per person. Consider accompanying this delicious pasta with roasted vegetables or a zesty Caesar salad.

stuffed shells served with tomato confit

Insider secrets for perfecting your pasta dish

Here are things I always keep in mind when cooking this recipe and many other pasta dishes.

Cook the pasta shells until they are al dente, which means they are cooked but still have a bit of bite. This will prevent them from becoming too soft and falling apart when you stuff them.
Use fresh spinach, if possible, and chop it finely. This will make mixing with the ricotta cheese easier and ensure the filling is evenly distributed throughout the shells.
Use good-quality ricotta cheese that is firm and not too watery. If the ricotta is too wet, it can make the filling too runny and cause the shells to collapse during baking.
Add grated Parmesan, pecorino romano, or Asiago cheese to the filling to enhance the flavor and texture.
Season the filling with salt, pepper, and other herbs or spices. Basil, oregano, parsley, and garlic all work well with the flavors of ricotta and spinach.
A piping bag or a small spoon fills the pasta shells with the ricotta and spinach mixture. This will ensure the filling is evenly distributed and the shells are filled.
Pour some marinara sauce or tomato sauce over the stuffed shells before baking. This will add flavor and help keep the shells moist during baking.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the shells are golden brown on top.
Let the stuffed shells cool for a few minutes before serving. This will help the filling set and prevent it from spilling out when you cut into the shells.

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

Why do stuffed shells get watery?

For many reasons: The spinach was too moist after wilting or steaming. The Ricotta was too watery, or your pasta was not drained out completely.

How many large pasta shells per person?

A hearty portion of six shells per person, but four will also work. Of course, a few could eat more, so allow for seconds!

Should I always drain ricotta cheese, and if so, how?

I didn't drain my ricotta for this recipe because when I opened the container, the ricotta seemed firm and bouncy. There was no evidence of water to trigger me to drain the cheese. Therefore I never did. This is a call you will have to do on your own. I have worked with other ricotta cheeses that I needed to drain immediately upon opening.

To drain your ricotta: Grab a bowl big enough to hold a colander, leaving enough space at the bottom for the liquid to drain. Line the colander with cheesecloth. Pour the ricotta onto the cheesecloth and cover it with plastic film. Do not press the cheese through the cheesecloth. Allow it to drain naturally. You may drain it for a few hours or overnight.

Do I have to add an egg to my cheese mixture?

The purpose of the egg in the mixture is to create a binder between the cheese and the pasta. The egg also acts as a thickener for the cheese if the mixture has too much moisture.
I seriously considered adding an egg to my mixture. My thought was based on almost always adding a beaten egg. However, I didn't feel like my mixture would be too moist to the point that it would become runny while baking, so I opted not to use the egg.