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Stuffed Pasta Shells

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Stuffed Pasta Shells – rich and hearty pasta dish that’s easy to make! Jumbo pasta shells filled with creamy ricotta and spinach filling topped with more cheese and baked on top of hearty red sauce. 

Serve these pasta shells with Perfect Caesar Salad and Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread for a perfect meal your whole family will love.

stuffed pasta shells A Stuffed Pasta Shells

Cheese and pasta are one of my favorite comfort food combos. We have it in our weekly menu rotation and if we ever get bored with it, all I need to do is jazz it up a little bit! Like stuff jumbo pasta shells with creamy ricotta and spinach filling and bake it all on a bed of hearty pasta sauce. YES! Thumbs up from the whole family! Today I am partnering with RAGÚ to tell you about their newest line of Homestyle sauces because when it comes to quick, easy and delicious pasta dishes – a good red sauce is a must!

Ingredients:

  • jumbo pasta shells
  • ricotta
  • spinach
  • egg
  • crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce
  • mozzarella cheese
  • Italian seasoning
  • garlic
  • salt and pepper

Instructions:

  • Make the filling by mixing ricotta, egg, mozzarella, garlic, Italian seasoning, and spinach in a bowl.
  • Fill each pasta shell with filling.
  • Spread the sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
  • Arrange filled pasta shells in sauce.
  • Top with shredded cheese and bake.

stuffed pasta shells 1 Stuffed Pasta Shells

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can make this dish up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the fridge and let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats.

Freezing:

Yes! Once prepared, place the dish in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then bake until bubbly.

More pasta dinners:

For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Pasta Category.

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If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

5 from 16 votes
stuffed pasta shells A 150x150 Stuffed Pasta Shells
Print
Stuffed Pasta Shells
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

These Stuffed Pasta Shells are rich and hearty and so easy to make! Jumbo pasta shells filled with creamy ricotta and spinach filling baked with more cheese on top of hearty red sauce.

Course: main
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: stuffed pasta shells
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 396 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
  • 12 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 jar pasta sauce
  • 15 oz. whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1.5 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic minced or grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella for topping
  • chopped Italian parsley for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta shells according to instructions on the package. Drain, keep warm.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Spread pasta sauce on the bottom of 13" x 9" baking dish. Set aside.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, garlic, seasoning, salt, pepper and chopped spinach.
  5. Fill each pasta shell with cheese filling and arrange in the sauce.
  6. Sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese over each shell.
  7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling on the edges.
  8. Let sit for 10 minutes in room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
  1. Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
  2.  
Nutrition Facts
Stuffed Pasta Shells
Amount Per Serving
Calories 396 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 122mg41%
Sodium 618mg27%
Potassium 206mg6%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 770IU15%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 412mg41%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Megan Marlowe says

    I did a few posts with RAGU Homestyle Sauce and I was thoroughly impressed. The sauce is delicious and I keep a stock in my kitchen now. Thankfully, because I can make these stuffed shells which look amazing. I love spinach and ricotta together and this is the perfect week night meal!

    Reply

  3. Sues says

    I LOVE stuffed shells, but barely ever make them. This is just the tempting reminder I need… Give me ALL the ricotta cheese!

    Reply

  4. Carmy says

    You had me at that first cheesy shot! I love pasta and stuffing it with cheese just makes everything way better! We use the same Ragu sauce at home and it’s amazing – I bet it pairs perfectly with these stuffed shells. I’ll need this on my plate ASAP.

    Reply

  5. Sean says

    I’ve done stuffed shells before, but I’ve never thought to lay them on a bed of sauce like this. It’s a great idea, and a wonderful (but very doable) looking recipe! I’ll have to give it a try.

    Reply

  6. Leah says

    This pasta looks like the perfect weeknight meal. What a great mix of flavors and I always love spinach and pasta together anyway. What a delicious meal, and how easy. Thanks for the dinner inspiration.

    Reply

  7. Amanda says

    Hello, gorgeous! Loving that cheese pull shot up top. Stuffed shells are such wonderful comfort food, but I always love the pretty presentation they make when entertaining as well. The hearty homestyle sauce must pair perfectly with them and it sounds like such a timesaver!

    Reply

  8. Tracy Koslicki says

    You’re so right, pasta and cheese can never get old. Ever. And the possibilities are endless. I saw these new Ragus in the store the other day and was curious. Now I definitely need to try them!

    Reply

  9. Marisa Franca says

    You will always have a winner of a dish with pasta stuffed with cheese. Add a tangy sauce to eat, heat it up and your the best cook/chef in the world! It’s great having a good tasting sauce to rely on — you can come up with so many tasty dishes.

    Reply

  10. Brandi says

    I am a huge fan of stuffed shells. I absolutely love the ingredients that you have used. I can’t wait to make this recipe and try it with Ragu!

    Reply

  11. Kris says

    Wow, oh wow does this look good. So cheesy and we love the addition of spinach. Great recipe and thanks for sharing. Can hardly wait to make this!

    Reply

  12. Gloria says

    You can NEVER go wrong with a GREAT pasta dish. This is crowd pleasing perfect. A great make ahead dish to take to the cottage. Leftovers would be great…in fact I would likely make a double batch to make sure I had some leftover.

    Reply

  13. Lisa says

    Oh-Ma-Gawd! These stuffed shells look so amazing — and while I appreciate the energy that goes into making your own sauce, it’s good to know that Ragu is available when you just don’t have the time. The flavors sound enticing too, but I think I’m partial to the Roasted Garlic — that is right in my wheel house. I’d want extra sauce for serving too. Pinning to make this weekend!

    Reply

  14. Sarah says

    Wahoo- that sauce DOES look thick! Sometimes I like to do a homemade sauce, but other times (especially if the husband makes dinner) it’s so nice to have a high-quality, delicious option in a jar! I’ll look for this!

    Reply

  16. Lina says

    Those shells look so yummy and gooey, but I just have one question. Do I cover the shells with foil when they are baking? I’m afraid they will get dry and hard.

    Reply

  18. MaryBeth says

    I am considering making this for Christmas eve but was wondering if i can make this dish a day ahead and not bake until the following day? Would it be okay?

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Hi Mary Beth! Thank you for the question! I think it would be best to make the filling a day ahead and cook the pasta and assemble and bake the dish the day you serve it. I worry that the pasta will dry overnight since it is not completely covered with sauce. I hope this helps! Let me know if you make it! I am excited for you to try it. 😀 Happy Holidays! -Anna

      Reply

  19. Maria says

    I made this last night and everyone loved it. Some had seconds and some even went for thirds! This recipe is a keeper. It was so easy to make and I served it with chicken cutlets. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  20. Rachel says

    I just made these for dinner and they were really good! There was definitely enough cheese filling for a whole box of jumbo shells, so I made the whole box and have lots of left overs. Also, I noticed that the longer the shells sat out (on my plate while I was eating them) , the harder they became. Why is that?

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Hi Meagan,
      The egg binds the filling ingredients together and also makes the flavor richer. You can skip it no problem, it may make the filling less set together but it will still work and be delicious! I hope this helps! Let me know if you make this dish. I’d love your feedback! Have a beautiful week! -Anna

      Reply

      • Beth says

        I’ve made this several times now, and it’s become one of my grandson’s favorite meals. I brown and drain a pound of ground chuck and add it to the Ragu sauce beneath the shells. Served with a salad and garlic bread, it’s a great meal!

        Reply

  31. Kim Beaulieu says

    This looks absolutely amazing Anna. I love Ragu sauce, we use it a lot. Especially for pizza, it rocks as pizza sauce. And it’s my daughter’s favourite for when I make pasta.

    I love that you used a spinach and ricotta filling. Stuffed shells are so scrumptious. Wish I lived near you, I’d be banging on your door with a bowl and a fork in my hands.

    I’m going to scope out our stores for the Garlic one. I’m such a sucker for garlic.

    Reply

  36. Sues says

    These look heavenly!! I never make stuffed shells and I’m not quite sure why. They look like the perfect dinner!

    Reply

  38. Jocelyn says

    We love stuffed shells in our house! That gooey cheese in the first picture totally has me wanting a batch for dinner tonight! Love that thick hearty sauce!!!

    Reply

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