Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Shells
Quick answer
- Total time
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Ricotta spinach stuffed shells fill jumbo pasta shells with a mixture of ricotta cheese, blanched spinach, egg, and Parmesan, then bake them in tomato sauce under a layer of melted mozzarella.
Read more
Squeezing all excess water from the blanched spinach is the critical step - soggy filling makes the shells slide apart and dilutes the sauce underneath. The egg in the filling acts as a binder that firms up during baking, holding the ricotta and spinach together as a cohesive mass inside each shell. Even shells that tear during boiling can be placed on the sauce and baked without issue - the sauce supports them and the cheese covers any imperfections. A generous layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish prevents the shells from drying out, while 20 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius melts the mozzarella into a soft, stretchy cap.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
Cook 240 g jumbo pasta shells until al dente in water seasoned with part of the 1 tsp salt, rinse under cold water, and spread them out so they do not stick.
- 2Heat
Blanch 140 g spinach in boiling water just until wilted.
Cool it in cold water, squeeze it firmly by hand until no excess liquid drips out, then chop it finely for an even filling.
- 3Season
Combine 300 g ricotta, the spinach, 1 egg, 40 g Parmesan, and the remaining salt in a bowl.
Mix evenly without excess moisture.
- 4Season
Spread 500 ml tomato sauce generously across the bottom of the baking dish.
Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and set torn shells with the split side facing up so the sauce supports them.
- 5Season
Scatter 180 g mozzarella evenly over the filled shells.
Bake at 190C for about 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted into a soft layer and the tomato sauce bubbles around the edges.
- 6Finish
Remove the dish from the oven and let it stand for 3 minutes so the filling firms up inside the shells.
Serve with some sauce from the bottom of the dish to keep each portion moist.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Egg-bound ricotta and spinach fill jumbo shells baked on a sauce bed while mozzarella browns on top.
- Finish cue
- Bake at 190C for about 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted into a soft layer and the tomato sauce bubbles around the edges.
- Avoid this
- Squeeze spinach well to avoid watery filling.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
50min, 8 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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