Stuffed Shells Recipe
This stuffed shell recipe is comforting and delicious, filled with spinach and cottage cheese, covered in marinara sauce and baked to perfection. This dish is perfect to make-ahead for the ultimate weeknight meal and also great to serve a crowd.
Equipment
- 1 oven-safe baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces jumbo shells
- 10 ounces frozen spinach chopped
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- 2 cups **marinara sauce plus more for serving
- fresh chopped basil for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a small pot, cook the frozen spinach on low to medium heat until completely thawed. Using a strainer, drain all of the excess water. Set aside.
- Add 6-8 cups of fresh water to a large pot. Generously salt the water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the Jumbo shells and cook for 10 minutes or until al dente.
- In a medium bowl, add the cottage cheese. Using an immersion blender, blend it until it is smooth and creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can also use a food processor or blender. Mix in the cooked spinach, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder along with salt and pepper.
- In a baking dish, spread a light layer of marinara sauce on the bottom. Stuff the cooked shells with about 1 tablespoon of the filling and place them in the baking dish. Evenly cover the shells with the remaining marinara sauce. Place the shells in preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes, covered for the first 20 minutes and uncovered for the last 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Place the filling in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag to store. To thaw- take the filling out of the freezer and place it in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight. You can then assemble the stuffed shells at a later time.
If you have the time right now, make the filling and the homemade tomato sauce and assemble all of the stuffed shells. Place them in your baking dish and cover with foil or plastic wrap and then pop them in the fridge or freezer. When you are ready to serve, take them out of the fridge and put them right into the oven. If they are coming out of the freezer, place the dish in the fridge to thaw for about 8-10 hours or overnight before cooking.
As a time-saver, use store-bought marinara sauce instead of making your own. We use Rao's Sauce!