Description
Cheesy stuffed shells bring Italian comfort right to dinner tables with rich ricotta and spinach nestled in perfectly baked pasta pockets. Warm, hearty portions promise delightful flavors that satisfy hunger and spark mealtime joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
- 2.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Filling Ingredients:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
Seasoning and Sauce:
- 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a spacious pot with generously salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Carefully submerge jumbo pasta shells into the bubbling water, allowing them to cook until perfectly tender yet maintaining a slight firmness.
- Once shells reach an al dente texture, quickly remove from heat and drain thoroughly in a colander.
- Immediately rinse the delicate shells under cool running water to halt the cooking process and prevent further softening.
- Gently spread the shells on a clean kitchen towel or flat surface, ensuring they do not stick together and are ready for the next preparation stage.
Notes
- Choose jumbo shells carefully to ensure they are large enough to hold generous filling but not so big they become unwieldy.
- Prevent shells from sticking together by adding a splash of olive oil to the boiling water and gently stirring during cooking.
- Rinse shells with cold water immediately after cooking to halt the cooking process and maintain a perfect texture for stuffing.
- Pat shells dry with paper towels before filling to help the stuffing adhere better and prevent excess moisture in the final dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg