We have been making this dish at least once a month over the past years and my kids love it. It does use cheese, but since it is also loaded with spinach I am happy that the kids love it. K normally makes this or lasagna or pasta on the days I need a break from the kitchen. For my daughter’s party last week he decided to make lasagna and pasta while I made some calzones. He made such a big batch and the whole week was a pasta week for us.
The filling is a breeze to make. I used a big box of shells and I ended up stuffing them for around half an hour, but I was also taking pictures of each step. Do not overcook the shells as they tend to break while filling. I also used minimal cheese, feel free to use more or less according to need. Off to the recipe.
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Pasta shells stuffed with spinach and ricotta.
Ingredients:
- pasta - 12 oz box jumbo shells
- olive oil - 2 tsp
- cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp (jeeragam)
- garlic - 4 cloves
- onion - 1 cup - chopped
- spinach - 4 cups - frozen spinach - thawed and squeezed
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- ricotta - 2 cups
- mozarella - divided, 1 cup + 1.5 cups
- tomato sauce - 2 cups (marinara sauce can also be used)
Instructions:
Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are done. Add spinach, salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes.
Take the cooled spinach mixture in a bowl. Add ricotta and 1 cup mozarella to it and mix well. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Meanwhile cook the jumbo shells according to package instructions.
Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 9 x 13 pan. Fill the shells and place them over the sauce. Add 3/4 cup sauce over the stuffed shells. Add about half a cup of mozarella cheese over the sauce.
Place another layer of stuffed shells. Add 3/4 cup of sauce and 1 cup of mozarella cheese on top. Cover and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes and then for 10 min uncovered.
1. Heat oil and add cumin seeds.
2. Add onions and garlic.
3. Saute until onions are done.
4. Add spinach.
5. Add salt and pepper. Saute for around 5 minutes.
6. Take the cooled spinach mixture in a bowl.
7. Add ricotta and mozarella cheese to it.
8. Mix it well. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
9. Meanwhile, cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions.
10. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 9 x 13 pan. Fill the shells and place them over the sauce.
11. Add 3/4 cup sauce over the stuffed shells.
12. Add about half a cup of cheese over the sauce.
13. Place another layer of stuffed shells.
14. Add 3/4 cup of sauce and 1 cup of cheese on top. Cover and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes and then for 10 min uncovered.
15. Out of the oven.
Tasty dinner.
Enjoy!
Sending to Bake Fest #7 hosted by Priya.
Made this tonight for dinner. It was very bland. It looked pretty in the dish but needs some flavor.
Cheesey and Spinachyy… Wonderful…
-MythreyiYum! Yum! Yum!
this is a beauty vardhini-slurp !
wow this looks so delicious. nice pictures.
Wow healthy stuffing…love the idea
wow…
looks healthy and delicious dear
Very neatly explained vardini, looking very nice
yummy..great pics
Mindblowing and super tempting stuffed shells.
Very tempting! Great recipe!
MyHome Mantra
wow…cheesy spinach filling sounds so yummy! great preparation dear…looks so yum!!
Spicy Treats
I like the way you Indianize it by making cumin – I almost made this, this week but then I decided on lasagna roll ups instead, which I’m posting tomorrow…kids always love pasta!