Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pasta
- 175 g jumbo pasta shells
Filling
- 425 g ricotta cheese, drained
- 150 g fresh spinach, chopped
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 garlic, minced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Sauce and Topping
- 700 ml marinara sauce
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 20 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 828 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 47 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 2921 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 26 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 94 mg
- Potassium
- 1008 mg
- Calcium
- 963 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 109 mg
- Phosphorus
- 585 mg
- Zinc
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 403 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 6.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 214 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.48 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.65 mg
- Niacin
- 10.4 mg
- Folate
- 221 mcg
- Water
- 233 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions indicate for al dente. Drain carefully, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside in a single layer to prevent sticking.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped fresh spinach and saute until completely wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, wilted spinach mixture, 100g mozzarella, 50g parmesan, egg, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until fully integrated.
Spread about 250ml of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Fill each cooled pasta shell with about 30g (one generous tablespoon) of the ricotta mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells seam-side up in the baking dish, nestled snugly together.
Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the stuffed shells, ensuring the edges of the pasta are coated to prevent them from drying out. Sprinkle the remaining 100g mozzarella and 20g parmesan evenly across the top.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 190°C/375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.
Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with torn fresh basil before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Draining your ricotta is the single most important step for a professional result. Even store-bought tubs hold excess whey that will water down your filling and sauce.
- A touch of freshly grated nutmeg is the traditional Italian secret for enhancing the creamy, savory profile of spinach and ricotta mixtures.
- If you prefer a deeply browned, crusty top, place the uncovered dish under the broiler for the final 2-3 minutes of baking, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Assemble the dish but do not bake before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Reheating: Cover with foil and bake at 180 degrees Celsius until heated through, or microwave individual portions on medium power.
Troubleshooting
Pasta shells tear while filling
Cause: The pasta was overcooked during the boiling stage or handled too roughly while hot.
Fix: Overlap the torn edges and place the shell seam-side down in the baking dish; the cheese will hold it together.
Prevention: Boil shells for 2-3 minutes less than package instructions and rinse gently in cold water.
Watery filling after baking
Cause: Excess moisture from the ricotta cheese or the cooked spinach.
Fix: Let the casserole rest uncovered for 10-15 minutes after baking to allow some liquid to reabsorb and evaporate.
Prevention: Drain ricotta well in a fine mesh sieve beforehand, and squeeze excess liquid from the wilted spinach.
Dry, hard edges on the pasta shells
Cause: Exposed pasta was not covered by sauce and dried out during the uncovered baking phase.
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking.
Prevention: Ensure all exposed edges are lightly coated with marinara sauce or cheese before baking.
Cultural Context
Stuffed pasta, or 'pasta ripiena', is a hallmark of Italian festive and Sunday cooking, originating in the central and northern regions. Conchiglioni (jumbo shells) are a modern favorite originating from Campania, perfectly shaped with ridges to grip rich tomato sauces while cradling hearty, dairy-based fillings.
