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Stuffed Shells Filled With Spinach and Ricotta

5.0(2762)

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.

by Martha Rose Shulman

ItalianDinner, Weeknight, Pastas, Main Course

Servings

About 40 shells, serving 6

Total time

Calories / serving

413 kcal

Ingredients (11)

serves

1 pound baby spinach, rinsed, or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughlyspinach
Salt to tastesalt
12 ounces giant pasta shells
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oilextra-virgin-olive-oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste, cut in half, green shoots removedgarlic
10 ounces ricotta cheesericotta
1 egg, beatenegg
2 tablespoons minced chiveschive
2 ounces Parmesan, grated about 1/2 cupparmesan
Freshly ground pepperpepper
2 cups marinara sauce, preferably homemademarinara-sauce

Instructions (4 steps)

01Bring 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.
02Turn 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.

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Rich recipe — supports nutrition-aware planning.