This bubbly 3-cheese stuffed shells recipe is baked with a mixture of spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and savory marinara. Plus, it reheats and freezes beautifully!
Why this recipe works
From baked ziti to lasagna and everything in between, a cheesy marinara pasta bake is something a lot of us call comfort food. It’s hearty, filling, and warms the belly and soul. These stuffed shells are no exception. Packed with a blend of ricotta, parmesan, and spinach – all the classic cheesy stuffed shells fixings, there really is no wrongdoing here.Â
This recipe makes a lot of shells, enough for dinner tonight and some to freeze for later. They make great leftovers to pack into lunches or for bringing to parties and gatherings to feed a crowd.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHEESE – You can use pecorino cheese instead of parmesan if desired.
SPINACH – Be sure to fully thaw and drain if you are using frozen spinach. It’s helpful to squeeze out excess water or to pat it dry with paper towels, otherwise, you may end up with a watery filling. You may also use fresh spinach. If using fresh, roughly chop then lightly cook the spinach in a skillet with olive oil for a few minutes until it begins to wilt.
SAUCE – You can use your favorite marinara sauce for this recipe or even substitute with alfredo. It is really important to fully cover the shells with sauce so they do not dry out.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Thaw frozen spinach in the refrigerator overnight, once thawed place spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out excess water over the sink.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Fill stock pot with water, season water with a sprinkle of garlic salt and for extra heat a dash of red pepper flakes. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook to al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- While pasta is cooking, in a mixing bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, beaten eggs, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and black pepper until well combined.
- When shells are done, drain water.
- In a 13×9 baking dish, pour 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread into an even layer.
- Place the shells into the baking dish in even rows.
- Place cheese filling into a piping bag with a large tip (or just place cheese mixture into a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off).
- Using the piping bag, fill each shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture.
- Top shells with remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce and sprinkles with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Turn on broiler and bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Top with fresh chopped basil. Serve with a side of extra marinara and garlic bread.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can freeze these stuffed shells. Simply cover your baking dish with foil and freeze (but do not add the marinara, save that for when you are ready to bake) – or transfer the shells to an aluminum baking tray and freeze. Optionally freeze the shells in the baking dish and remove them to a large ziptop bag once they are frozen to save space. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can bake them from frozen or allow them to thaw. Add an extra 10 minutes or so in the oven if you are baking them from frozen.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, adding extra marinara if needed.
Yes, you can prepare stuffed shells a day in advance and store them covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator. Bake when you are ready to serve, adding a few extra minutes in the oven if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve stuffed shells with cheesy garlic bread and a dinner salad on the side. We like to add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil on top. Enjoy!
More Pasta Recipes
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Stuffed Shells
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 5 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
- 12 ounces jumbo shells approximately 40 shells
- 32 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- black pepper to taste
- 72 ounces marinara sauce 3 – 24 ounce jars
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- fresh basil chopped for garnish
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can use pecorino cheese instead of parmesan if desired.
- This makes a very large number of shells (about 40), I used a second 9×13 for the remaining shells, these could be made in batches or with the use of a second baking dish. Or simply cut the recipe in half.
- Option to freeze half of the shells once stuffed, if you do that, you’ll only need 2 jars of marinara.
- It is really important to fully cover the shells with marinara so they do not dry out.
Instructions
- Thaw frozen spinach in refrigerator overnight, once thawed place spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out excess water over the sink.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Fill stock pot with water, season water with a sprinkle of garlic salt and for extra heat a dash of red pepper flakes. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook to al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- While pasta is cooking, in a mixing bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, beaten eggs, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and black pepper until well combined.
- When shells are done, drain water.
- In a 9×13 pan, pour 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread into an even layer.
- Place the shells into the baking dish in even rows.
- Place cheese filling into a piping bag with a large tip (or just place cheese mixture into a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off).
- Using the piping bag, fill each shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture.
- Top shells with remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce and sprinkles with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Turn on broiler and bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Top with fresh chopped basil. Serve with a side of extra marinara and garlic bread.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Gail says
Great recipe! I didn’t include the spinach in the filling, because I didn’t have any on hand but will do so next time. Great flavor to the cheese. Will definitely use this recipe in the future. My husband loved it.
Chris says
Could you add pork, beef, chicken or other meats to this recipe? (I’m guessing a pound of ground meat per 9×13?)
Your thoughts?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, I would add the meat to the sauce.
Nicole says
This looks amazing!! I love that it is so easy to make but looks and tastes so complicated. Like you have been busy all day. I love that!!!
Thank you so much for all of your recipes!! I have made several of them. So delicious!!!
Hope you have a blessed day!!