Christmas Stuffed Shells Recipe
Tender jumbo pasta shells are filled with a savory blend of creamy ricotta, spinach, pecorino, garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and gentle red pepper heat. The filled shells are arranged over marinara sauce and baked until thoroughly heated, creating a rich and comforting pasta dish suitable for a festive Christmas meal.
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Ingredients
For the Shells
- Extra-virgin olive oil as needed for lightly coating the cooked pasta
- 18 –20 jumbo-sized pasta shells
For the Filling
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese preferably for a richer texture
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 5 ounces fresh spinach roughly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper according to taste
- ¼ cup finely grated pecorino cheese such as Locatelli
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 fresh garlic cloves finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
For Serving
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnishing
- 2 cups prepared marinara sauce using a preferred store-bought variety
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and spinach. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add approximately 1 inch of water to a pot and position a steamer basket above the water. Place the spinach in the basket.
- Bring the water to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and steam the spinach for about 1 minute, or just until wilted. Transfer it to a strainer, firmly press or squeeze away the excess moisture, and then finely chop the spinach.
- Cook the pasta shells. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stopping when they reach an al dente texture.
- Drain the shells thoroughly, then lightly drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil so they do not adhere to one another. Set them aside.
- Make the spinach-ricotta filling. Place the prepared spinach in a medium mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, pecorino, grated garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and several turns of freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the filling is thoroughly combined.
- Fill and arrange the shells. Spread the marinara sauce in an even layer across the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
- Spoon the spinach and cheese mixture into each cooked pasta shell. Arrange the filled shells over the marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake and serve. Cover the baking dish with foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven and serve the stuffed shells while hot. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and accompany with additional marinara sauce on the side, if desired.
Notes
Whole-milk ricotta provides a fuller, creamier filling. Freshly grated garlic offers the strongest aroma, while Locatelli pecorino may be used as the specified cheese option. A preferred prepared marinara sauce works well for both baking and serving.