Easy Stuffed Shells With Spinach

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Easy Stuffed Shells With Spinach is a dish that calls for elegant simplicity. Red wine sauce from scratch compliments the herb and spinach ricotta that fills the al dente shells. This is an effortlessly delicious classic!

cooked stuffed shells with a white linen napkin.

Table of Contents

Easy Vegetable and Riccota Cheese Stuffed Shells

What’s one to do when you have a ton of Red Wine Pasta Sauce left over? It’s literally a sin to let this go to waste. Pasta again for the second day in a row? What’s not to love!

Three kinds of cheese, loaded with veggies, and packed with herbs, this dish has simple, yet entrancing flavors. Any dish can be enhanced by using fresh herbs, as they bring health benefits, fresh flavor, and pops of color. I stepped out my front door to my kitchen garden where I grow an arrangement of fresh herbs to use in my meals.

The spicy Italian oregano, parsley, and purple basil had been soaking up this radiating Florida sunshine all day and smelled so fragrant. Tossing in these freshly picked herbs with the ricotta was the highlight to this dish. Now to add the bold flavor of asparagus, chopped into tiny bites, and wilted spinach was next level.

closeup of stuffed shells with spinach, and a wooden spoon ontop of a linen.

What cheeses to use for stuffed shells

For this recipe, we are using accessible, common cheeses that are easily found in the average grocery store. Shredded mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan cheese give these stuffed shells a layered taste.

What to use for filling

Ricotta is always the base of stuffed shells. This soft cheese gives meals moisture and creaminess. An egg is added to hold everything together. This recipe is meant to be a guideline, your palate is to be the siding factor in how this ends up. Wilted spinach, asparagus, garlic, and fresh herbs make this meal a perfect meatless dish. If you’re looking for a little something more, ground Italian sausage is a perfect addition

Can you freeze stuffed shells?

Freezing stuffed shells is easy! Simply assemble the shells in a dish for all the steps before placing in the oven. Cover the dish, and place in the freezer. When ready to reheat the shells, cook at 350° for 45 minutes, covered.

picture of a shell being served, with melted cheese stringing from the plate.

How to make Easy Stuffed Shells

Begin by cooking the jumbo shell pasta according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.
Add garlic to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes. Add spinach and asparagus to the pan and cook until spinach is wilted, 2-5 minutes.
Add the spinach mixture to a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, herbs, and mix to combine.
In a large oven-safe pan, layer the bottom with sauce. Add shells in one layer, then scoop 1-2 TBS of ricotta mixture filling into the shells.
Layer sauce on top of shells. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Mangia!

stuffed shells served on a white plate, with the main dish in the background

Other Sea Salt Savorings Classics:

One-Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken is a simple and satisfying meal that comes together in a half hour or less. With butter and creamy lemon sauce, this seared chicken recipe is satisfying for the whole family!
Creamy Vegetarian Black Bean Taquitos are packed full of black beans, green chiles, cauliflower rice, and a perfect blend of Mexican spices. With every crunchy bite, there is no doubt this will be your favorite vegetarian dish!
Easy Loaded Vegetable Pot Pie has all the flavor of Mom’s creamy classic dish, without the meat! With white beans, potatoes, peas, corn, green beans, carrots, celery, and herbs, this dish will leave you feeling nourished and satisfied.

picture of a shell being picked up by a wooden spoon

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