These ricotta stuffed shells are a delicious baked pasta meal the whole family will love! Perfect for serving a crowd or meal prepping for the week’s dinners. Enjoy!
A Comfort Food Favorite
Calling all comfort food lovers! These ricotta stuffed shells are as easy to make as they are delicious. We’re teaching you how to make them for dinner tonight or freeze them for later.
why you’ll love it
- Ricotta stuffed shells are easy to prepare ahead of time! You can prepare this dish the night before or you can freeze it for another time.
- These cute shells are nutrient-packed.
- Pasta is a dish that the whole family loves.
- You can feed the entire family or have enough for leftovers throughout the week.
Ingredients – What You Need
It’s time to round up the following simple ingredients for your ricotta stuffed shells. You’ll need:
- Jumbo shells
- Full fat ricotta (learn how to make your own ricotta below!)
- Shredded romano cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh spinach
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper
- Minced shallots
- Minced garlic
- Marinara sauce (we used Raos, it’s delish!)
Tutorial
How to Make Ricotta Cheese
Homemade ricotta cheese is a brilliant way for anyone to begin their journey into home cheesemaking. The magic of turning fresh milk and cream into delicate curds and whey is deeply satisfying and deliciously simple!
How to Make Ricotta Stuffed Shells
This ricotta stuffed shells recipe can be broken down into 5 components (one of which is eating!). Here’s what you need to do:
Boil Shells
Cook the jumbo shells until they are cooked slightly under al dente.
Why? They will continue to cook in the oven when baked.
Prep Ricotta Filling
Sauté shallots and minced garlic. Then, add the fresh spinach to the pan and sauté until the spinach is wilted.
In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, ¾ cup romano, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and wilted spinach mixture.
Assemble Stuffed Shells
Prepare the casserole dish and add 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish and spread it out with a spatula.
Stuff the jumbo shells individually by scooping the ricotta cheese mixture with the shell until it is full. Place the shell on the bottom of the casserole, open side up. Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Baked Stuffed Shells
Finally, pour the remaining ½ cup of marinara sauce over the shells and cover the casserole dish with a top or tin foil and bake at 400ºF for 30 minutes.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and uncover. Sprinkle mozzarella and remaining romano cheese over the shells and broil for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
Enjoy!
Remove from the oven and top with red pepper flakes, fresh thyme — then serve and enjoy!
How to Store Ricotta Stuffed Shells
After your stuffed shells are baked, let cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat ricotta stuffed shells, let them come to room temperature and then reheat in the oven covered at 350ºF until the cheese melts and the middle of the shells are warm.
To Freeze Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Let your stuffed shells cool completely before covering the entire dish with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat ricotta stuffed shells, let the dish come to room temperature and then heat it up in the oven covered at 350ºF until the cheese melts and the middle of the shells are warm.
Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 6 oz. Jumbo shells ~24 jumbo shells
- 16 oz. full-fat ricotta
- 1 cup shredded romano cheese separated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (+more for topping)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 shallots minced (~¾ cup)
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 5 oz. fresh spinach
- 2 cups marinara sauce any kind (we used Raos)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo shells.Â
- Cook the jumbo shells until they are cooked slightly under al dente. They will cook longer in the oven.Â
- Strain the water from the shells and rinse the noodles with cold water and set aside.Â
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.
- When olive oil is fragrant add the shallot to the pan, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the minced garlic and saute for another minute.Â
- Add the fresh spinach to the pan and toss with the shallot and garlic.
- Sauté the spinach over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, ¾ cup romano, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and wilted spinach. Set aside.
- Prepare the casserole dish and add 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish and spread it out with a spatula.Â
- Stuff the jumbo shells individually by scooping the ricotta cheese mixture with the shell until it is full. Place the shell on the bottom of the casserole, open side up. Repeat until all shells are used or until the casserole dish is full.
- Finally, pour the remaining ½ cup of marinara sauce over the shells and cover the casserole dish with a top or tin foil and bake at 400ºF for 30 minutes.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and uncover. Sprinkle mozzarella and remaining romano cheese over the shells and broil for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
- Remove from the oven and top with red pepper flakes and fresh thyme.