Stuffed Shells

A simple, satisfying favorite.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Make-ahead-friendly for entertaining.
• Hidden vegetables in a kid-friendly form.
• Freezer-friendly dinner.
• Crowd-pleasing comfort food.
• Endlessly variable filling.

Ingredient Notes

• Whole-milk ricotta is creamier than part-skim.
• Frozen spinach is fine; squeeze obsessively dry.
• Low-moisture mozzarella melts without watering out.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Cottage cheese in place of ricotta.
• Fresh spinach (cooked and squeezed) for frozen.
• Add Italian sausage to the marinara.

Equipment Needed

• Large pasta pot
• 9x13 baking dish
• Mixing bowls
• Spoon or piping bag

Prep Tips

• Cook shells with extra so torn ones can be discarded.
• Assemble up to 1 day ahead.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 12 oz pasta, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup shredded cheese, 1 large egg, 1 medium tomato, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 5 oz baby spinach, 1 cup parmesan cheese. mince the garlic, and grate the parmesan before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Boil shells al dente.

3. 3

   Mix ricotta, egg, spinach, parmesan.

4. 4

   Stuff shells, top with sauce and cheese.

5. 5

   Bake 375°F 30 min.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Squeeze spinach ruthlessly dry — otherwise the filling weeps.
• Undercook shells slightly — they finish in the oven.
• Pipe filling with a sealed plastic bag for clean shells.

Common Mistakes

• Wet spinach soaking the filling.
• Overcooked shells that tear.
• Skipping the rest — shells fall apart.

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