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Whipped Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells – Healthyish Foods

Whipped Ricotta & Spinach Stuffed Shells

Try my whipped ricotta & spinach stuffed shells with Alfredo sauce. These stuffed shells are cheesy, creamy and absolutely delicious.
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Ingredients

Pasta and Sauce:

  • 12 ounces jumbo shells, 1 package about 35 shells
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2.5 - 3 cups Alfredo sauce – store bought or homemade works fine, reserve 1.5 cups to pour over the top of the filled shells.
  • ¼ cup warm pasta water to thin out the Alfredo sauce if it is very thick.

Cheese and Spinach Filling

  • 16 ounces whole milk ricotta
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed into the measuring cup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, reserve 1 cup to sprinkle over the top before baking

Equipment

  • 9x13-ich ceramic baking dish
  • pasta pot
  • colander
  • food processor

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Spray a 9 x 13-inch ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Set it aside.

Prepare the pasta:

  • Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package.
  • Al dente pasta is best as the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
  • Reserve a ¼ cup of the pasta water then drain off the remaining water using a colander.
  • Drizzle the cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Prepare the spinach and ricotta filling:

  • Add the ricotta cheese, baby spinach, egg, parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper and oregano to the food processor. Buzz until it is smooth and creamy, no lumps.
  • Next, add the spinach and ricotta mixture to a mixing bowl.
  • Gently fold in 1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese using a spatula.

Assemble the dish:

  • Grab the prepared baking dish and add 1.5 cups of alfredo sauce to the bottom of the pan.
  • If the alfredo sauce is very thick you can use some of the pasta water to thin it out.
  • Next, begin stuffing your shells with the spinach and ricotta filling. Place them in the pan on top of the sauce.
  • Once the pan is full and all of the filling is gone, top the shells with another 1 -1.5 cups of Alfredo sauce.
  • Sprinkle the entire dish with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Broil for 2-3 minutes to get extra crispy cheese on the top.
  • Dust with extra grated parmesan and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 3.5shells, Calories: 721kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 48g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 196mg, Sodium: 1824mg, Potassium: 246mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1315IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 392mg, Iron: 1mg