Description
Delicious and hearty Veggie and Cheese Stuffed Shells filled with sautéed vegetables, creamy ricotta, and gooey melted mozzarella baked in rich marinara sauce. Perfect for a comforting vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
Vegetable Filling
- 1 Tbsp 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 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Sauce
- 3 cups pasta sauce (about 24 oz)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook pasta shells: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse them with cold water to stop cooking, then set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, grated carrots, and grated zucchini. Sauté for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for an additional minute to combine flavors.
- Mix cheese and veggies: Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture into a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, chopped fresh basil, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
- Prepare baking dish: Pour the marinara sauce evenly into the bottom of a baking dish or skillet.
- Stuff shells: Fill each cooked pasta shell with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the veggie and cheese filling. Arrange the stuffed shells snugly in the baking dish on top of the marinara sauce.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the arranged shells.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the shells are heated through.
- Serve: Remove the foil, top with additional fresh basil, and serve warm. Enjoy your comforting veggie and cheese stuffed shells!
Notes
- Make sure to drain and squeeze out excess moisture from the thawed spinach to prevent a watery filling.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, substitute with 1 tsp dried basil for similar flavor.
- You can prepare stuffed shells a day ahead and refrigerate before baking; add extra baking time if baking from chilled.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free jumbo pasta shells.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave for a quick meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
