Stuffed Shells Filled With Spinach and Ricotta
Updated November 6, 2019
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound baby spinach, rinsed, or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt to taste
12 ounces giant pasta shells
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste, cut in half, green shoots removed
10 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 ounces Parmesan, grated about ½ cup
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
56 grams carbs; 58 milligrams cholesterol; 413 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 672 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the spinach for no more than 20 seconds, just until wilted, and transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta shells. Cook al dente, about 10 minutes, and drain and toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
- Step 2
Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the spinach and pulse to chop finely. Add the ricotta and the egg and process until well blended. Add ⅓ cup of the Parmesan, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well blended.
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish or two 2-quart dishes. The shells should fit into the dish in one layer. Fill each shell with a scant tablespoon of the filling. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. Top with the tomato sauce and cover the dish with foil.
- Step 4
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and serve.
Advance preparation: You can assemble this dish through Step 3 several hours before baking and keep it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for a few months.
Private Notes
Comments
If you use frozen chopped spinach you won't need to break out the food proccer (or go out and buy one). I swear to God, you won't know the difference, just squeeze out the water, the same as you would do with fresh spinach.
After 3 times of making this, I've settled on: - Use the full 15 oz of a standard ricotta container - Double the greens (half kale, half spinach) - Double the homemade marinara (put a thin layer on the bottom of the dish) - Add a little lemon juice/zest, nutmeg and chili pepper flakes to the cheese blend - Use all the parm on top (flavor gets lost in the cheese blend) - About a tablespon and a half filling per shell, else you'll run out, even after doubling the ricotta and greens
Whole family liked this recipe (including the three-year-old). I used jarred sauce and it was still great. I would use the whole 15 oz ricotta next time - I filled the shells with a bit more than a tablespoon (I think they needed it) and ran out of filling before I used all the shells. But very flavorful and delicious. I used more garlic and chives than called for, and heavy on the pepper, which may have added some flavor.
This was excellent. My touches: I cooked my own marinara with sautéd soffritto, San Marzano canned tomatoes and fresh basil. I added spinach and kale and lined the bottom of the dish with marinara. I also added red pepper flakes and oregano to filling. Lastly, I grated parmigiano reggiano at the end and broiled it for 2 minutes. Thanks.
Have made this crowd pleaser several times. Disagree with frozen spinach! The fresh is a much brighter green and more flavorful. Yes to doubling the ricotta (with a touch of nutmeg) and marinara. Covered the bottom of the pan with generous layer of sauce to nestle the shells in.
Made as per recipe was excellent. As a riff idea: I had about 2 cups of Melissa Clark’s ratatouille leftover and added this to the shells (1T each) and that was excellent