Description
Delicious veggie and cheese stuffed jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory mixture of sautéed vegetables, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, baked in a rich marinara sauce. Perfect for a comforting vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
Vegetable Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large carrots, grated
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
Cheese Mixture
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 3 cups pasta sauce (about 24 oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook the pasta shells: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, then set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and sauté the chopped onion, minced garlic, grated carrots, and grated zucchini until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the well-drained chopped spinach and sauté for an additional minute until combined.
- Mix the filling: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, ¼ cup of grated Parmesan, chopped fresh basil, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
- Prepare the baking dish: Pour the pasta sauce evenly into the bottom of a baking dish or skillet.
- Stuff the shells: Fill each cooked pasta shell with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the veggie-cheese filling. Arrange the stuffed shells evenly in the baking dish on top of the marinara sauce.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over the arranged shells.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the shells are heated through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with additional fresh basil, serve hot, and enjoy your veggie and cheese stuffed shells!
Notes
- Make sure the frozen spinach is thoroughly thawed and well-drained to avoid excess moisture in the filling.
- You can substitute frozen spinach with fresh spinach if preferred; sauté until wilted before mixing.
- If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free jumbo pasta shells.
- For a richer flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vegetable sauté.
- Leftover stuffed shells can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the oven for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
