Stuffed Shells Four Cheese Spinach (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Pasta
01 -
20 jumbo pasta shells
→ Filling
02 -
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
03 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
04 -
4 cups fresh spinach (optional, or substitute with thawed and patted dry frozen spinach)
05 -
425 grams ricotta cheese
06 -
65 grams Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
07 -
300 grams mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
08 -
30 grams cream cheese
09 -
1 large egg
→ Assembly and Baking
10 -
700 milliliters marinara sauce
11 -
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
→ Seasonings
12 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
13 -
0.25 teaspoon black pepper
14 -
0.5 teaspoon dried basil
15 -
0.5 teaspoon dried parsley
16 -
0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 190°C. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells for 1 minute less than al dente, approximately 13 minutes, referencing package directions. Drain and rinse shells under cold water to halt cooking and set aside.
02 -
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add spinach, toss to coat, and sauté for about 3 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 -
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese with salt, pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, and dried oregano. Mix until evenly blended. Add half the mozzarella, most of the Parmesan (reserving some for topping), cream cheese, and egg. Stir to form a cohesive mixture. Fold in cooled spinach and garlic.
04 -
Spread half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 23 x 33 cm baking dish or equivalent oven-safe skillet. Fill each pasta shell with the cheese and spinach mixture and arrange in the dish.
05 -
Top the filled shells with remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
# Notes:
01 -
Slightly undercook the shells as they will finish cooking in the oven.
02 -
Boil extra shells in case some break during boiling or handling.
03 -
If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess moisture.
04 -
For optimal texture and flavour, shred mozzarella and Parmesan cheese from whole blocks.
05 -
Can be assembled up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months before baking.