Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells (Print View)

Jumbo pasta shells filled with ricotta, spinach, and cheese baked in savory tomato sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)
02 - Salt (for boiling water)

→ Filling

03 - 14 oz ricotta cheese
04 - 9 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 10.5 oz fresh spinach, wilted and chopped)
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 garlic clove, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

11 - 24 oz tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Topping

18 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
19 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook jumbo pasta shells until al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside on a tray to prevent sticking.
03 - Combine ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until smooth and uniform. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Stir in tomato passata, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes.
05 - Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly in a large baking dish.
06 - Stuff each cooked pasta shell with 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture. Arrange shells in the baking dish atop the tomato sauce layer.
07 - Pour remaining tomato sauce over the arranged stuffed shells evenly.
08 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
09 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
11 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in about an hour, and nobody needs to know how easy it actually was.
  • The filling is so creamy and forgiving that even if you overstuff a shell, it tastes like you meant to.
  • You can make it ahead and bake it later, which means less stress when people are coming over.
02 -
  • Squeezing your spinach dry is not optional if you want a filling that doesn't taste watery and weak—I learned this the hard way.
  • Undercooked pasta shells are your friend; they'll firm up perfectly in the oven rather than turning to mush.
03 -
  • Make this dish a day ahead, refrigerate it unbaked, and bake it when you're ready—it actually tastes better after the flavors have mingled overnight.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce if you want a gentle warmth, or keep it gentle and classic.
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