Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate more vegetarian recipes into my roster, and to me, the best veggie recipes are when they’re so delicious that I forget they’re meatless. These cheesy stuffed pasta shells seriously deliver, and I love that I get some additional greens in with the spinach (plus, the colour on the dish looks amazing).

This recipe is a bit more time consuming, so I recommend making it on a weekend, or when you have more time at your disposal. Similar to a lasagna, it involves boiling the pasta, making the filling, assembling *and* baking for a good 40 minutes, but it’s so worth it. This is also a great dish to bring to a potluck or even make in advance, freeze, and bake up when you’re in a pinch.

INGREDIENTS

• 25 jumbo pasta shells (you’ll use 20, but cook a few extra because they tend to break while boiling
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package ricotta cheese (500g)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella for filling
• 1/2 cup of mozzarella for sprinkling on top of stuffed shells
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• Fresh grated parmesan, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to  375° F. Set water to boil and cook jumbo shells until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Meanwhile, sauté spinach and garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until spinach has wilted.
3. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, egg, and salt until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour marinara sauce into a large casserole dish.
5. Stuff each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoon of spinach and ricotta filling, and place in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella.
6. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for about 10 minutes until the tops become golden and the sauce begins to bubble.
7. Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan before serving.