Stuffed Pasta Shells with Ricotta and Spinach
Use either spinach or kale with ricotta for filling jumbo pasta shells. It’s great for meatless Mondays. Used homemade tomato sauce or your favorite jar sauce. To save time, make your filling and sauce ahead and refrigerate, then cook the pasta, stuff the shells and bake when ready. Serve with a salad. See spinach notes at the end. Serve 3-4 shells per person.
Servings: 4 to 5
Calories: 537kcal
Equipment
- Large pasta pot to cook shells
Ingredients
- 16 pieces jumbo pasta shells gluten-free or wheat
- 1 bundle flat leaf kale (lacinato or Italian) For spinach see notes below
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 15 ounces Ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese divided use
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian blend herbs or dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg optional
- 4 cups homemade pasta sauce or your favorite jarred brand
Instructions
- Fill a large pot ¾ full of water, add salt, ad bring to a boil to cook the kale leaves and the pasta shells.
Prep the Kale
- Strip the tough center rib from the kale leaves or slice out with a sharp knife. Roll leaves like crosswise like a cigar and slice into thin ribbons. Clean kale ribbons.
Cook the Shells and Kale
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Remove the cooked shells to a clean kitchen towel to cool. Bring water back to a boil and add the kale leaves. Cook (blanch) for 2 minutes. Remove the leaves to a bowl of ice water for 1-2 minutes. When the kale is cold, drain, squeeze dry in paper towels. A salad spinner can help get rid of excess moisture. Chop the kale into small pieces and set aside.
Make the Filling
- In a medium skillet or saute pan, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until its soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds. Add the chopped kale and cook 2 minutes. Place in a medium bowl and mix in ricotta and ½ cup of the Parmesan, egg, herbs, and seasonings until smooth.
Fill Shells and Bake
- Place about a 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a 9×13 casserole dish. Place about two tablespoons of filling in each shell. For reference, see the photo in the post. You want the shells to be full but not bursting. Place filled shells on top of the sauce. Top the shells with more sauce. Sprinkle with the last quarter cup of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Notes
If you can't find jumbo shells, use manicotti shells. If you ship the shells or manicotti beware they often break in transit. Better to find in a store or be sure to buy an extra box to cover breakage.
For lasagna rolls - Buy GF lasagna noodles and make GF lasagna rolls. See the post for more detail.
To substitute spinach - Swap 1 package of frozen baby spinach leaves (in a loose package not the block) for the kale. Cook and drain according to the package directions and squeeze dry in paper towels or a clean smooth textured kitchen towel.
Nutrition
Serving: 3shells | Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 2011mg | Potassium: 1040mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2099IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 517mg | Iron: 4mg