Description
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells (Conchiglioni) is a comforting Italian-American baked pasta dish featuring jumbo pasta shells generously filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta cheese mixture, baked in a rich tomato sauce topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. This hearty, family-friendly meal is perfect for gatherings or cozy dinners and combines fresh herbs with a luscious cheese blend to deliver a satisfying vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 eschallots/shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 bay leaf, fresh (substitute dried bay leaf if unavailable)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 700g / 25 oz tomato passata (tomato sauce)
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (substitute more vegetable stock if preferred)
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock/broth
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
Filling Ingredients
- 250g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 500g / 1 lb full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Colby, Cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, or any preferred type)
- 1 egg
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Grated fresh nutmeg or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
- 3/4 tsp kosher or cooking salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Stuffed Shells
- 250g / 8 oz jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
- Fresh basil and extra parmesan for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, finely chopped onion or shallots, fresh bay leaf, dried thyme, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
- Reduce the Wine: Pour in the Chardonnay or dry white wine and increase the heat to high. Let the wine simmer rapidly for about 2 minutes until it has mostly evaporated, concentrating the flavors in the sauce.
- Simmer Sauce: Add tomato passata, vegetable stock, white sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly, then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce hot and ready for assembling.
- Prepare the Filling: Take handfuls of thawed spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible to prevent watery filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the squeezed spinach with ricotta, parmesan, shredded cheese, the egg, minced garlic, nutmeg if using, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C (356°F) fan-forced.
- Stuff the Shells: Carefully stuff each uncooked jumbo pasta shell generously with the spinach ricotta filling. Fill them fully so each shell is packed with the delicious mixture.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Pour the hot tomato sauce into a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish. Gently nestle the stuffed shells in the sauce; most should be submerged while a few may poke slightly above the surface.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with a baking tray or aluminum foil to keep moisture in. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes to cook the pasta shells through and meld flavors.
- Add Cheese & Final Bake: Remove the cover, sprinkle the stuffed shells with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve warm and enjoy the rich flavors and creamy textures.
Notes
- Shallots (also called eschallots) are finer and sweeter than regular onions; avoid confusing with Australian ‘shallots’ (green onions).
- Tomato passata is pureed, strained tomatoes ideal for smooth sauces; Hunt’s tomato sauce or crushed canned tomatoes blended are good substitutes in the US.
- Frozen chopped spinach is convenient; alternatively, use about 500g fresh spinach wilted down and drained thoroughly.
- Use full-fat ricotta for a moist, creamy filling; low-fat versions tend to be drier and less pleasant.
- No need to pre-cook jumbo pasta shells since they will bake fully in the sauce during cooking.
- Leftover stuffed shells can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen. Reheat covered in a microwave for best results.
- This recipe serves approximately 5 to 6 people with normal appetites.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/5 of recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
