READY IN ABOUT 1½ hrs

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells

Read Reviews (127)

"Magnificent jumbo pasta shells stuffed to bursting with cheesy spinach filling." — KITKATY

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place pasta shells in boiling water; bring water back to boil. Cook until noodles are just tender; drain well.
Squeeze spinach dry. Combine spinach, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, fennel, basil and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Fill each pasta shell with the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange the shells, filling side up in the baking dish. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the shells.
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until heated through; about 30 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 1 hr
READY IN 1 hr 20 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Apr 03, 2004

Simple to make and very good. This recipe is very flexible and additional ingredients can be added to suit individual preferences. I do agree the fennel seeds really add something. The next time I make these, I will double the fennel. Be careful not to over boil the shells before draining and stuffing. About five minutes in boiling water makes them tender. I used a potato ricer to “squeeze” the water out of the spinach. I then used a food processor to mix all of the ingredients. Since the spinach is usually long and stringy, the food processor method gives you a perfectly mixed filling that is easy to handle when filling the shells. Serve this with a green salad and garlic bread. It’s a keeper.

—GUYCHEF

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 08, 2010

This is a very easy recipe that is actually pretty good. I made a few modifications -and next time I will make a few more. I like spinach but the spinach very much overwhelmed the ricotta cheese. Next time I would add 2 containers of ricotta cheese to the 2 packages of spinach. I like the flavor the fenel gives but I really do NOT like biting into a fenel seed! So next time those suckers are getting CRUSHED before I add them! I added minced garlic instead of cloves, and I used more spaghetti sauce than the recipe calls for. I also added mozzarella cheese on the top along with parmesan. Instead of boiling the shells until they are super soft and pliable I soaked them in boiling water until they were still firm- but moveble- this made it soooo much easier to fill! but yet they cooked all the way through in the oven. I also added the mixture into a ziploc bag and cut the corner off the bag to fill the shells- works fairly well if you do not have a piping bag! Plus you can get more filling into the shells and it's a let less mess- and looks more presentable and uniform!

—lisa_engfer

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172 Ratings

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Jan 15, 2004

This recipe was awesome both times that I made it. The first time I made them they turned out so well that I made them again the next day and froze the bunch for ready made suppers. They froze wonderfully and reheated easily, I just popped them into the oven frozen and baked them for about 1 hr. They turned out just as well as making and eating them the same day. What I really enjoyed about this recipe was the flavor the fennel seeds gave. I would definitely make this over and over again. Oh, by the way, it was a real hit with my husband and three teenagers!!!

—FOXWORTH33

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Jan 15, 2004

We love this dish! Had never tried the fennel seed - that was yummy! I added about 1 cup grated mozzarella to the cheese mixture as well as a beaten egg (just think it binds the filling a little better). Also sprinkled mozzarella over the top.

—SweetBasil

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Dec 12, 2005

Based on some other responses I motified this recipe & removed the fennel seeds, added one beaten egg & 1 C shredded moz. cheese. Also I cut spinach in half. Served them for a ladies lunch & they went over wonderfully! Nice make ahead dish so you are not rushing at last minute & can enjoy your company

—Deb

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Jan 24, 2006

Wish I had read the reviews first - I definitely would have either left out the fennel seeds or added less. Otherwise, It was excellent! Next time, I'll buy 1 box of 24 shells for the receipe and just overstuff them. I could see using a little less spinach and more garlic. Would definitely make again - My husband wants to add shrimp to the receipe next time! YUM!!!!

—Renee

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May 01, 2003

Excellent! I made a few changes...... One box of jumbo shells made 4 dinners for my husband and I (5 shells each). I used 2 tubs of ricotta, only 2 cloves of garlic, 2 packages of spinach and 2 cans of Bravo sauce which I cooked with the garlic and 2 small onions. I bought 3 tin containers with cardboard lids (you can find them at the grocery or dollar store for a dollar something) and filled the three throwable containers and one regular baking pan with the shells. While our dinner was baking, I covered the rest of the containers with a piece of cardboard tightly and placed it in a freezer bag. After they had cooled, I threw them in the freezer for "TV dinners". Came out perfect!

—Nadia

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Jan 24, 2003

great! I made a few adjustments to suit our taste but my husband and kids said to add it to the list, it's a winner! Note: I remove the fennel seed and add a italian seasoning instead of just basil. I also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta, just a preference.

—Franny

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Nutrition

Calories
703 kcal
35%

Carbohydrates
94.9 g
31%

Cholesterol
59 mg
20%

Fat
21.3 g
33%

Fiber
10.2 g
41%

Protein
33 g
66%

Sodium
1004 mg
40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 703
Calories from Fat: 192

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 21.3g 33 %
Saturated Fat 11g 55 %
Cholesterol 59mg 20 %
Sodium 1004mg 40 %
Potassium 1315mg 37 %
Total Carbohydrates 94.9g 31 %
Dietary Fiber 10.2g 41 %
Protein 33g 66 %
** Sugars 15.7g
Vitamin A 144 %
Vitamin C 34 %
Calcium 66 %
Iron 75 %
** Thiamin 11 %
Niacin 148 %
Vitamin B6 40 %
Magnesium 63 %
** Folate 202 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.