Sausage, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

Sausage, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

How To Make Stuffed Pasta Shells

These delicious stuffed pasta shells are loaded with the flavors of sausage, spinach, and ricotta cheese, topped with tomatoes, then baked to perfection!

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 12ozpasta shells,(1 jumbo package)
  • 1tbspolive oil
  • 1cupyellow onion,finely chopped
  • 1lbsweet Italian sausage,casings removed
  • 1tbspgarlic,minced
  • 1large egg
  • 16ozricotta cheese
  • 10ozspinach,frozen, thawed, squeezed dry, chopped further, or 10 oz chopped fresh spinach
  • 1cupparmesan cheese,grated
  • 1tbspfresh basil,chopped, or 1 tsp dried basil
  • ¼cupbread crumbs,unseasoned
  • ½tspsalt
  • ½tspground black pepper
  • 28oztomatoes with herbs,(1 can) liquid included, tomatoes broken up, or favorite tomato or pasta sauce

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 teaspoon salt per quart of water).

  2. Cook the pasta shells according to the instructions on the package.

  3. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

  4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.

  5. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

  6. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking up the sausage into smaller bits. Lower the heat to medium.

  7. Cook sausage for about 5 minutes until cooked through, and no pink remains.

  8. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute more until fragrant.

  9. Remove pan from heat.

  10. Beat the egg lightly in a large bowl.

  11. Mix in the ricotta, chopped spinach, ½ cup of the parmesan cheese, basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and sausage mixture.

  12. Fill each cooked pasta shell with some of the ricotta, spinach, sausage mixture.

  13. Spread ½ cup of the chopped canned tomatoes over the bottom of each of the baking dishes.

  14. Arrange the stuffed pasta shells in the dishes. Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top of the pasta shells.

  15. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

  16. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling.

  17. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese, then bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

Recipe Notes

After arranging the stuffed pasta shells, it can be made ahead, and frozen (for up to four months) or refrigerates before cooking. (If freezing, cover with foil, then wrap with plastic wrap.)

Nutrition

  • Calories: 486.99kcal
  • Fat: 20.41g
  • Saturated Fat: 10.25g
  • Trans Fat: 0.00g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 7.12g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.36g
  • Carbohydrates: 45.21g
  • Fiber: 3.89g
  • Sugar: 5.29g
  • Protein: 31.16g
  • Cholesterol: 81.82mg
  • Sodium: 795.36mg
  • Calcium: 423.06mg
  • Potassium: 765.98mg
  • Iron: 3.19mg
  • Vitamin A: 325.30µg
  • Vitamin C: 25.54mg
Want to share your experience making these Sausage, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells or have any tips to enhance the recipe? Join the discussion in the Recipe Sharing forum!

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