My household loves these simple veggie stuffed shells, full of a flavorful mix of creamy ricotta cheese and a medley of sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and bell peppers. They’re good for youths and adults, simple to make forward for a crowd, and positive to turn into a household favourite.
Stuffed shells are such a traditional recipe, and this model options completely cooked pasta shells filled with a creamy combination of cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and bell pepper.
The shells bake on prime of a mattress of marinara sauce till the cheese is effervescent. Should you love veggie pasta recipes, see our veggie spaghetti. Or, for extra stuffed shells recipes, see our sausage stuffed shells or these buffalo chicken stuffed shells!
Key Elements
- Pasta Shells: I take advantage of massive dried pasta shells and prepare dinner them in boiling water till al dente earlier than filling them. It’s a good suggestion to prepare dinner just a few additional shells than you suppose you’ll want, as some would possibly tear throughout boiling. Don’t fear about any leftover or damaged shells—they make a tasty snack with additional cheese filling or marinara sauce!
- Veggies: I really like loading these stuffed shells with greens! My go-to mixture is mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and garlic, sautéed till tender. Be happy to get artistic and add your favourite greens or swap some out.
- Cheese: I take advantage of complete milk ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese for a wealthy and creamy filling. To complete the dish, I prime the stuffed shells with mozzarella cheese for a scrumptious melty topping. Should you’re making vegetarian stuffed shells, omit the Parmesan cheese or use a vegetarian-friendly various.
- Herbs: To make these additional scrumptious, I combine in a number of contemporary basil leaves and a little bit of dried oregano.
- Marinara Sauce: You should utilize your favourite store-bought pasta sauce or one in all our selfmade sauce recipes. Do that homemade marinara or this easy pasta sauce.
The best way to Make Veggie Stuffed Shells
To make my favourite veggie stuffed shells, prepare dinner the jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water. Whereas the shells are cooking, you’ll be able to put together the flavorful filling. Cook dinner sliced mushrooms in a large, oven-safe skillet till they begin to brown. Then, add bell peppers and prepare dinner till barely softened. Lastly, stir in a beneficiant quantity of spinach and prepare dinner till wilted.
In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese with the greens, contemporary basil, salt, pepper, oregano, and parmesan cheese.
Now, it’s time to assemble the stuffed shells. Should you use an oven-safe skillet for the greens, you should utilize the identical pan for baking. In any other case, a baking dish will work completely.
Unfold marinara sauce within the backside of your chosen pan. Fill every cooked shell with a spoonful of the cheese and vegetable combination, then nestle them into the marinara sauce. High with cheese for a melty, golden prime. Bake uncovered till the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted and barely browned.
Tacky Veggie Stuffed Shells
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PREP
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We love these vegetable stuffed shells! When you’ve got one, prepare dinner the greens in a large oven-safe skillet. Then, bake the shells in the identical pan. Should you shouldn’t have an oven-safe skillet, bake the shells in a baking dish.
This filling is sufficient for about 16 shells. We suggest including a few additional shells to the water because you would possibly discover that a number of shells tear whereas cooking.
Makes 16 shells or 4 Servings
You Will Want
18 jumbo pasta shells
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced, about 2 cups sliced
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
5 ounces spinach leaves, about 4 cups packed
3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced
2 cups complete milk ricotta cheese
3 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese, about 1 cup
1/4 cup contemporary basil leaves, chopped or substitute 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups marinara sauce, strive our homemade marinara sauce
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about 1/2 cup
Positive sea salt and contemporary floor black pepper
Instructions
1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
2Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till very al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain. Run below chilly water to cease the cooking, then drain once more.
3In the meantime, warmth the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium warmth. Add mushrooms and unfold into one layer. Cook dinner, with out transferring, till browned on one aspect, 3 to five minutes. Stir, then add the chopped bell pepper. Cook dinner, stirring sometimes till the peppers are beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Should you shouldn’t have an oven-safe skillet, an everyday skillet will work fantastic, you’ll simply must bake the shells in a baking dish as a substitute of the skillet in a while.
4Pile the spinach leaves into the pan and add a beneficiant pinch of salt. Wait about 30 seconds or till the underside layer of leaves has began to wilt, after which toss the leaves across the pan. Because the spinach cooks, hold tossing so that each one the leaves have an opportunity to hit the underside of the skillet. When the spinach appears to be like vivid inexperienced and is generally wilted, take away the pan from the warmth and permit the greens to chill off for a minute or two.
5Mix the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a medium bowl. Stir within the greens after which style the combination. Modify as wanted with extra salt or pepper.
6Place the oven-safe skillet over low warmth. Pour within the marinara sauce and warmth till barely simmering. Flip the warmth off. Should you shouldn’t have an oven-safe skillet, switch the warmed marinara sauce to a big baking dish. (When you’ve got an oven-safe skillet, you should utilize it to bake the shells.)
7Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cheese combination into every cooked shell, then nestle the stuffed shell down into the warmed marinara sauce. When you’ve got any cheese combination left, divide it between the shells or take pleasure in it with any leftover shells.
8Bake, uncovered till the shells are heated right through and the cheese is melted on prime, about 20 minutes. Take away from the oven and let sit 5 minutes earlier than serving.
Adam and Joanne’s Ideas
- Sauce: One (28-ounce) jar of store-bought marinara sauce has about 3 cups.
- Make forward ideas: The shells could be stuffed and organized within the baking dish or skillet and stored within the fridge (coated) for as much as a day. You can too freeze them. Wrap them tightly with a layer (or two) of foil and freeze as much as three months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge after which bake. Or bake from frozen, however count on them to take a bit longer to warmth right through.
- The diet information offered under are estimates.
Diet Per Serving
Serving Measurement
4 shells
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Energy
596
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Whole Fats
26g
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Saturated Fats
14.6g
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Ldl cholesterol
85.1mg
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Sodium
1504mg
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Carbohydrate
51g
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Dietary Fiber
6.3g
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Whole Sugars
9.8g
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Protein
37g