Featured Recipe

Spinach Ricotta Shells

Name: Spinach Ricotta Shells
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12 jumbo pasta shells; 12 ounces ricotta cheese; 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 6 cups fresh spinach leaves; 3 cloves garlic minced; 3 tablespoons olive oil divided; 3 cups marinara sauce; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Cooking spray

By Kate

Created on 18 January 2026

Ricotta-stuffed pasta shells baked in a tomato sauce with sautéed spinach and melted cheese. Uses jumbo shells boiled to al dente, filled with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, wilted spinach, egg, and Italian seasoning. Baked covered then uncovered to finish, topping golden and melty. Aromatic garlic and olive oil build base flavor. Substitutions possible for cheese, greens, or sauce. Practical tips on timing, texture, preventing sticking, and liquid management to avoid soggy shells.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 35 min

Total: 50 min

Serves: 4 servings

Italian-American pasta vegetarian

Introduction

Ricotta-stuffed shells. Simple pasta that looks impressive. You need jumbo shells because small ones won’t hold much filling, frustrating and messy. Timing boils down to shell texture. No mushy blobs here. Use salted water; builds base flavor inside pasta. Wilt spinach properly, no excess water or filling turns watery later. Garlic aroma marks readiness, so don’t wander. Combining cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning binds filling and tricks texture into being creamy yet stable. Layering sauce in bottom avoids sticking and burning bottom shells. Cover baffling keeps moisture in, but final crisp topping is where the cheese cues you on doneness. Let sit before serving or filling blobs spill out. Leftover shells reheat well but avoid microwave sogginess—oven or skillet heat work best. Substitution ideas at bottom.

Ingredients

12 jumbo pasta shells

12 ounces ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

6 cups fresh spinach leaves

3 cloves garlic minced

3 tablespoons olive oil divided

3 cups marinara sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

About the ingredients

Ricotta is the anchor here. Use whole milk ricotta for creamy results; low-fat versions dry the filling out. Mozzarella needs to melt well; shredded whole milk or part-skim works fine, avoid pre-shredded with anti-caking agents if possible—they melt unevenly. Parmesan adds sharpness and salt which balances richness. Egg binds; skipping it leads to filling falling apart when spooned in. Italian seasoning—store blends or fresh herbs like oregano and thyme swayed in dry, no wilting fresh leaves that add moisture. Spinach holds moisture; drain and press well. Any leafy green can substitute (arugula, kale, chard) but adjust cooking time to soften tougher leaves. Garlic oil sautée gives fragrant hint that wakes up the whole dish. Marinara needs to be thick but fluid enough to bubble around shells—too watery and shells get soggy, too thick and filling edge dries. Cooking spray oil alternatives work fine but avoid heavy butter oils which can burn at high temp. Jumbo shells come dry, cook fresh for best texture; frozen often clumps or breaks apart.

Method

Heat oven to 380F. Grease 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Bring large pot salted water to rapid boil. Drop in jumbo shells, stirring gently immediately. Cook till shells hold shape but teeth feel slight resistance, about 10 minutes. Drain. Toss lightly with 2 teaspoons olive oil to prevent sticking.

Toast minced garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Watch for fragrant aroma, about 1 minute. Add fresh spinach. Stir constantly till all leaves collapse, moisture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Scoop spinach onto paper towels. Press firmly to remove liquid. Chop roughly once cooled enough to handle.

Spread 2 cups marinara evenly in bottom of baking dish.

In large mixing bowl combine ricotta, chopped spinach, 2 1/2 cups mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, and pinch salt and black pepper. Fold gently until uniform but not overmixed.

Fill each shell with 2 heaping tablespoons of filling. Nestle shells carefully on sauce in pan, seams facing up to hold filling. If necessary, leave small gaps for sauce circulation but keep compact.

Pour remaining 1 cup marinara over shells. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly on top.

Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake 25 minutes. Listen for bubbling sauce edges and cheese softening through foil. Remove foil carefully.

Continue baking uncovered another 7 minutes or until cheese topping is blistered lightly and golden in spots. Edges of shells will firm up. Internal stitching feel of shells remains tender but not mushy.

Once out of oven, rest 10 minutes to let filling set. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil if desired.

Serve with garlic bread or simple salad. Store leftovers covered tightly in fridge. Reheat gently to avoid drying pasta.

Technique Tips

Boiling pasta demands attention. Stir at start to prevent sticking, but gently so you don’t tear shells. Check for al dente by tasting shells at 9 minutes and after. Better a touch firm than soft; remember shell will bake more so texture softens too much if overcooked. Toss with oil immediately to separate; cold water rinse kills starch that helps sauce cling but prevents sticking, so oil is better. Garlic needs low-medium heat; brown garlic bitter, raw smells sharp. Spinach must sweat fully but not boil; high heat evaporates water while softening, stirring keeps uniform cooking. Squeeze excess moisture using kitchen towel or colander presses to avoid watery filling. Sauce layer on bottom forms a moat so shells don’t stick; skipping this means cleaning nightmare burned on pasta. Mixing filling don’t overbeat—beaten egg protein toughens, so fold gently. Stuff shells gently; overstuffing breaks outer shell and leaks filling, under filling is dry inside. Don’t overcrowd baking pan; space shells evenly so heat distributes. Cover foil traps steam; remove last 7 minutes for cheese browning and bubbling you want. Check cheese melt visually, bubbling and golden spots signal doneness rather than timer alone. Resting before serving lets filling firm up and settles sauces preventing drips. Leftover reheating—avoid microwaving to keep shell texture; use oven or skillet at medium heat covered with foil to rewarm evenly without drying. Learn to eyeball doneness by cheese color, sauce bubbling, shell texture rather than blindly trusting clock.

Chef's Notes

💡 Use jumbo shells. Here’s the thing: they hold more filling. Avoid messing with small shells. Use salted water to boost flavor. Stir gently while cooking. Keep texture right.
💡 Shells sticking? Toss them with olive oil right after draining. Adds flavor, keeps them from clumping. You want each shell separate for filling. A key step.
💡 Wilt spinach completely, no excess moisture added. Cook on medium. Garlic needs attention; aroma signals readiness. Don't overcook or you lose freshness.
💡 Filling should be well-mixed but not overbeaten. Don’t want tough filling. Fold gently. Underfilling leads to dry bites, overfilling makes mess.
💡 Watch baking closely. Remove foil for last minutes to let cheese bubble and brown. Golden spots, bubbling edges mean you’re near done. Rest before serving.