Spinach Stuffed Shells

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 Spinach stuffed shells is an easy and healthy vegetarian dinner recipe that can be prepared in advance! With three types of cheese, the ultimate cozy, family-friendly meal is a hearty and satisfying meatless dish that’s perfect for hungry appetites.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you’re trying to eat less meat, or if you’re serving supper to a vegetarian guest, it helps to have a few good go-to recipes that you know everyone will enjoy. These easy spinach stuffed shells do not disappoint!

What are stuffed shells?

This Italian-inspired dish includes Jumbo Shells pasta, which has been stuffed with a variety of ingredients and baked with sauce and cheese in a casserole dish. Spinach and cheese is a classic stuffed shells filling, but you might also find beef and ricotta stuffed shells or sausage and cheese stuffed shells.

Is manicotti the same as shells?

While these two Italian stuffed pasta dishes are quite similar, there are a few specific differences. Manicotti, which literally translates to “little muffs,” are large tubes of pasta designed for stuffing.

By contrast, stuffed shells are made with conchiglioni pasta, the larger version of conchiglie, which means “conch shells.” The jumbo shells have thin ridges set close together, and are typically stuffed with a combination of meat, cheeses, and vegetables. Unlike the tubes of manicotti, jumbo pasta shells can hold an amount of stuffing equal to the size and shape of an egg.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for stuffed shells with spinach. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
  • Jumbo pasta shells: I always cook the entire 12-ounce box, but you might not need all of them. It just depends on how full you stuff each shell, and how tightly you pack them in the dish. Some shells tend to break or rip in the cooking process, so it’s nice to have extras.
  • Frozen chopped spinach: thawed and squeezed really dry in a dish towel so that you don’t end up with a watery lasagna filling. See my notes below if you’d like to use fresh spinach.
  • Ricotta cheese: forms the base of the thick, creamy, cheesy filling. You can substitute with small curd cottage cheese for a lighter option.
  • Mozzarella cheese: for even more cheesy flavor.
  • Egg: helps bind the ricotta filling so that it doesn’t ooze out of the pasta.
  • Basil, salt, and garlic powder: for even more flavor.
  • Marinara sauce: pick a high-quality store-bought jar or make homemade marinara sauce.

How to Make Spinach Stuffed Shells

While they might look fancy, I assure you — if you can boil pasta, you can make this recipe! Plus, it’s a great prep-ahead option for busy nights. Stash the spinach and ricotta stuffed shells in your fridge or keep them in your freezer, and you’ll be glad that dinner’s waiting for you when you’re ready to bake them! The full instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:
  1. Boil the pasta shells according to the package directions; drain.
  2. Spread some marinara in the bottom of a baking dish.
  3. Squeeze the spinach dry, and then stir together the spinach and cheese filling.
  4. Spoon the filling into the cooked pasta shells. Arrange them in the dish.
  5. Pour marinara over top, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake.

How Many Stuffed Shells Per Person?

I generally assume about 2-3 shells per person. Larger appetites might like 4, while smaller eaters may prefer 2. This recipe yields about 20-22 stuffed shells, and it typically feeds about 6-8 people.

Preparation and Storage

  • How to Freeze: This is the ultimate prep-ahead freezer meal! If you would like to make the casserole in advance, simply assemble the dish (but do not bake). Cover the dish with foil and either refrigerate for up to 24 hours; or, if freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Keep in freezer for up to 3 months.
  • How to Cook Frozen Stuffed Shells: When ready to bake, you can either thaw the stuffed shells in the refrigerator overnight (and bake according to the recipe instructions); or you can bake the stuffed shells directly from the freezer at 350°F for about 60-70 minutes (or until heated through). Don’t forget to remove the foil during the final 10 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to brown on top!
  • How to Reheat: Let the dish sit on the counter and come to room temperature for about 1 hour before reheating. Cover the dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven just until warmed through (about 20-30 minutes). You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.
  • Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Recipe Variations

  • For spinach stuffed shells with meat sauce, simply add ½ lb. of cooked ground beef or ground Italian sausage to the marinara sauce.
  • To make these spinach stuffed shells without ricotta, you can substitute with cottage cheese instead. If using cottage cheese, I recommend straining off some of the liquid first or using a whipped cottage cheese so that you don’t end up with a watery filling.
  • Spinach stuffed shells with white sauce: substitute Alfredo sauce for the marinara sauce, or try this recipe.
  • If you prefer, you can use fresh spinach for this recipe in lieu of the frozen chopped spinach — but you will need a lot of fresh baby spinach! The beauty of frozen chopped spinach is that it’s already condensed, so you get a large amount of spinach at a very inexpensive price — and you don’t need to cook it before adding it to the ricotta mixture. A 10 oz package of frozen spinach is the equivalent of about a 1 pound bunch of fresh spinach. So, for this recipe, you’ll need about 2 lbs. of fresh spinach. If you’re buying fresh spinach, it’s wise to buy more than you think you’ll need because some bunches will need the stalks trimmed off and that will decrease the weight before cooking. You’ll also need to cook the fresh spinach, drain it, and squeeze out the excess liquid before adding it to the cheese mixture.

TIPS FOR THE BEST SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS RECIPE

  • The egg is an important component of the ricotta mixture because it helps the cheese layer “set” so that it doesn’t ooze out of the pasta.
  • Use whole milk ricotta cheese for the richest, creamiest, smoothest texture.
  • To bulk up the dish and include even more nutritious veggies in the casserole, saute sliced mushrooms, chopped bell peppers, diced onion, garlic, zucchini, or other vegetables of choice and stir them into the marinara sauce.
  • Cook the pasta shells just until al dente, since they will continue cooking in the oven.
  • This recipe yields a large batch to serve 8, so it’s perfect for entertaining. If you’re feeding a smaller family, you can divide the stuffed shells between two smaller 8-inch baking dishes and freeze one for later.
  • These easy spinach stuffed shells are a relatively healthy option, since they have just 329 calories per serving and they’re full of leafy green veggies and satiating protein! One serving includes more than 20 grams of protein, which is a lot for a vegetarian dinner.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh herbs or sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes just before serving.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce (about 2 ½ cups total)

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