Everyone needs a few meals in their arsenal that are 2-for-1-ers, and this spinach stuffed shells recipe is one of mine.
What's a 2-for-1-er, you ask? It's a meal that you make once, and eat twice, preferably the second time is weeks later, so it doesn't feel like "leftovers". Really, I make this meal once and eat it like 5 times, because even after splitting it between two dishes, I still get some lunch leftovers from it, too.
The funny thing about this recipe is that I always make it with the sausage mixed into the stuffing, but this time I completely forgot to add the sausage until I'd already made the spinach stuffed shells, and you know what??? I actually liked it BETTER that way, so I decided to stick with it.
Also, I tszuj it up when I'm feeling fancy with some chopped mushrooms and a cup of wine added to the sauce, but you can totally use your favorite jarred sauce and I won't tell anyone, I promise. You can also leave the sausage out entirely and make this a vegetarian meal and it's STILL delicious! The versatility of these spinach stuffed shells are just one more thing that makes them a staple in our house.
📖 Recipe
Spinach Stuffed Shells with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach an ounce or two under or over won’t kill you, feel free to substitute fresh, chopped spinach
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 6 leaves fresh basil shredded
- 3 cups ricotta
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 32 ounces of your favorite red pasta sauce
- 16 ounces loose bulk Italian Sausage ( optional )
- 1 gallon freezer zip-top baggie for filling the shells optional, but makes life easier
- 16 ounce jumbo pasta shells
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the shells in the water for approximately half of the listed cooking time on the package ( around 6 minutes for the shells I used ).
- Cook the spinach according to package directions. Let cool, squeeze the water out.
- Mix the garlic, spinach, parsley, basil, ricotta, eggs, half of the parmesan, all of the salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
- If you'd like to include the sausage ( SO GOOD! But usually only added as a special treat in my house ), brown it in a pan over medium high heat for 4 - 6 minutes, crumbling it up with a cooking utensil in the pan as it cooks.
- Prepare one 8x11 pan and one 9x9 pan ( or a second 8x11 -- I don't have two so I have to cram into my 9x9 ) by pouring the tomato sauce into the bottom of each pan.
- Put the filling into the freezer bag, cut 1" off of the corner to make a piping bag. Pipe each shell almost full with filling. Place each filled shell into one of the pans.
- Split the remaining cheeses ( mozzarella and parmesan ) between the two dishes -- covering the shells in both dishes with cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes to eat tonight. Freezing directions in "Notes".
Notes
Lisa says
Yum! This came out super delicious! I added veggie sausage sprinkled on top.
Susan says
Hey Marianne,
What size package of shells do you use? Don't see that detail in the ingredients----
basilandbubbly says
Hi Susan!! I usually grab the Barilla "Jumbo" shells. I'm not sure how else they might be classified, but if those are not available, I just grab the biggest shells I can find. Usually they are close to the manicotti and lasagna sheets, set aside with the "weird" pastas haha
Karly says
YUUM! Love me some stuffed shells, but you've taken these to another level! That sausage make this a hearty dinner that will satisfy everyone in the family... even my teenage boy!
basilandbubbly says
That's my fav thing about it -- that it's an entire meal in one pan without being a casserole ( and that I can freeze it and have it another night with no prep time! )
Kelley says
I can vouch that these are AMAZING. Made them last week and my husband already wants them again!
basilandbubbly says
Woo hoo! So glad y'all loved them!