I love cooking with fresh springtime ingredients and spinach is one of my favorite ones to use. I use spinach in salads, soups, egg dishes, and lasagna. Recently, I decided to add fresh spinach to one of our favorite meals, stuffed shells. The great thing about this recipe is that if you have family that won’t touch spinach, you can introduce it in a familiar and well loved meal like stuffed shells. They will be much more likely to give it a try. Thanks to Bounty for sponsoring this Spinach Stuffed Shells post. All opinions are 100% my own.
There is nothing quite like fresh spring vegetables. The taste, the scent, and the bold colors just get me excited about a new season. On my last trip to a local farmers market, I found some beautiful spinach and I could not wait to run home and use it in a springtime recipe. The decision to make stuffed shells was an easy one as it is one recipe that the entire family (even the kids) loves. What my kids love less are vegetables, so getting them to eat spinach is a challenge. But it becomes easier when I mix the spinach with lots of cheesy goodness.
I started by boiling the shells. I cooked them for 6-7 minutes only since I wanted the shells to remain firm and not fall apart when I stuffed them.
To make the filling for our spinach stuffed shells, I cooked the spinach and minced garlic in olive oil. This smelled so good!
Next, I mixed the cooked spinach with ricotta, mozzarella and some traditional Italian spices.
Then I spread some marinara sauce in a 9×13 casserole dish. I stuffed the shells with the cheese and spinach mixture and placed them in the casserole dish. I made 20 shells which makes four servings.
Then it was time to pour marinara sauce on top and add more mozzarella cheese because who doesn’t love more cheese?
This spinach stuffed shells recipe takes just 30 minutes to cook up in the oven. I like serving it with a salad and some Italian bread. Yum!
While this recipe is easy and delicious, it does not come together without a mess. I had olive oil drippings and sauce spills to contend with after this meal. But I don’t need to stress out about any mess that occurs during springtime cooking because I have Bounty at my side to quickly pick up the mess.
Since Bounty is a more absorbent paper towel, the roll lasts longer and you don’t need to use as much to tackle all of the saucy, cheesy mess that comes with spring cooking.
Bounty’s quickness and absorbency made this mess go away real quick and my family made the spinach stuffed shells disappear just as fast!
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Have a picky eater who will not touch veggies? Try this recipe for Spinach Stuffed Shells and get kids to try spinach in a familiar dish.
Ingredients
- 20 shells
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta shells in boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in saute pan and cook garlic and 4 cups of packed spinach (remove large stems) for a few minutes until the spinach starts to wilt.
- Add the spinach and garlic mixture to a large bowl containing the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix until well combined.
- Stuff the shells with the cheese and spinach mixture.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Add stuffed shells so you have four rows of five shells.
- Top shells with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
If you liked this spinach stuffed shells recipe, check out:
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Sapana V says
These Spinach Stuffed Shells are looking delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I will try it.
Kristina says
Yummy! I love spinach! I would like to make this for a new family dish. My hubby is half Italian Italian so he would love this!
Jessi Joachim says
These look so good! They would be perfect for my meatless monday that I have been doing, plus my husband is Italian so any pasta and he is happy!
Reesa Lewandowski says
Oh we love stuffed shells! I never have used fresh spinach though, so much better!!
Karen says
Yum-Yum and yum! I am all about the stuff shell and anything pasta. I’m Italian so this is comfort food for me. Thanks for your so super simple recipe directions – gotta try this soon!
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
I’m very lucky in the fact that my girls aren’t picky. I’m actually the picky one, although I will eat spinach. I do find hiding veggies helps me consume more. These sound delish.
Cynthia @craftoflaughter says
I would love these but as much as hubby loves stuffed shells, he would turn his nose up at the sight of spinach. Maybe if I chopped it fine…
Terri Steffes says
The recipe for spinach stuffed shells is a lot like mine. I love them so much and my family did, too. It was super tasty and I could make them ahead of time.
Jeanine says
I love stuffed shells. My kids do too, we are huge fans. I havent used spinach in a long time though. Think its needed!
Tereza says
These look yummy! I’d love to try these but I can’t ever seem to find these large shells in the shops here. They used to have them everywhere when I lived in the Czech Republic but they seem to be hiding somewhere here in the UK haha x
Cindy Ingalls says
I used to make stuff shells all the time, but for some reason I stopped. I’ll have to give it a try again. I have thought about using shells in my vegan lasagna recipe to kind of change things up.
Cecilia Cannon says
I remember making these when I was a newlywed! I need to get back on my dinner game and make these again. they are always a hit.
Ana De- Jesus says
These stuffed shells look so good and since I have some left over pasta i’d quite like to make this at home today. I am so hungry right now x
roxy says
I had to stop several times to wipe the drool from my lips — YUM!!! I adore spinach and this recipe sounds like delicious comfort food to me.
Kim says
Shells are so versatile and they are perfect for stuffing with a variety of things. I love the cheese in this! Yum
Chel says
Any way we can squeeze in more greens sounds good to me! And whenever I’m making a traditional recipe that might not be the healthiest, I see if throwing in a little spinach would really be that noticeable.
Kristin says
Wow do I wish a big plate of those shells was sitting in front of me right now. What a delish looking recipe!
Jalisa Harris says
We love pasta in our house. Stuffed shells are my fave. I’ll definitely be pinning this recipe.
Nikki Arnold says
These look good and easy to make. I love cheese stuffed shells and this is a great way to add some veggies.
Jean says
These shells look great! I don’t really eat much spinach, but know how good it is for you so must try and get more into my diet. I love how cheesy this pasta is, yum!
Toughcookiemommy says
These spinach stuffed shells look so good. I would love to try these and I think it is great that they are healthier for you.
Orana says
This is comfort food for me! It looks so yummy I love it. I am a paper towel fiend always using too much so Bounty looks like a great option.
katriza says
Looks yummy! We will definitely try this soon! They look so tasty!
lydia says
One word: YUM. I love stuffed pasta, this looks so delicious. I will have to try and make this at home!
katrina gehman says
oh yes please, those look so good. i could go for a bunch right now.