Description
These Christmas Stuffed Shells are filled with creamy ricotta and spinach, topped with bubbly mozzarella and marinara sauce for a festive, crowd-pleasing holiday meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 to 25 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped and sautéed
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease your baking dish.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, chopped sautéed spinach, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs until smooth and well combined.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Fill each cooked and cooled pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Nestle them into the dish in a single layer, open side up.
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells, sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella, and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 more until bubbly and golden.
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if desired.
- Scoop onto plates and serve with garlic bread or a fresh green salad.
Notes
- Use a piping bag for easier shell filling.
- Frozen spinach works too, just thaw and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Double the batch and freeze one tray before baking for a future meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: Christmas stuffed shells, holiday pasta bake, ricotta spinach shells, vegetarian Christmas recipe, festive pasta dinner