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Extra cheesy spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta shells

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These conchiglioni or baked pasta shells are perfect for a starter or a main meal. They are easy to make and have all the hearty Italian flavours you want! Ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan make these shells ooze with creamy, cheesy deliciousness. The no-cook tomato sauce is made with pantry ingredients and is super fast to whip together. If you or your kids have trouble getting that spinach in, then this recipe might just be your answer! Try this vegetarian dish the next time you’re craving a comforting Italian meal.

Conchiglioni aka giant pasta shells

Conchiglioni are a type of pasta that is shaped like a giant seashell. It’s the perfect pasta shape to stuff with a creamy cheesy filling. Their shape makes this pasta beautiful to serve as an elegant starter as well! Conchiglioni comes in different sizes. We love using the giant shells for this recipe.

It’s important to undercook the pasta shells slightly because they will continue cooking in the oven. The pasta shells are also easier to handle and fill when they are undercooked and still a little firm. This way you minimize your chance of breaking them.

The easiest no-cook tomato sauce

The no-cook tomato sauce is made with pantry ingredients and is super fast to whip together. It’s also a great sauce to use as a base for homemade pizzas!

We use both passata and a tin of tomato pieces because of the combination of textures and flavours. You could go for either if you want to simplify the recipe.

Simply add both the passata and the tin of tomato pieces to a bowl. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1,5 teaspoon of dried oregano and a handful of chopped fresh basil. Mix it all together with a fork to mash up some of the larger tomato chunks. Always add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the extra creamy cheesy filling

The super creamy and cheesy filling has three types of cheese to make this dish extra gooey and comforting!

Start by roughly chopping the spinach and sautéing it in a skillet with some olive oil.

In a bowl mix together the ricotta, chopped mozzarella and shredded parmesan with the sautéed spinach. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste.

The three types of cheese will melt together in the oven to create a creamy and delicious filling. You can make this filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to fill your shells.

Filling the pasta shells

Once you have cooked your pasta and prepped your tomato sauce and ricotta filling it’s time to fill the shells and assemble this dish.

After cooking and draining the shells, lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. Add a fresh basil leaf to each shell. This adds extra flavour.

The easiest way to fill the shells is by filling a piping bag with the ricotta mixture. Using a piping bag to stuff the shells makes filling them a breeze. If you don’t have a piping bag you can just use two spoons to add the mixture to the shells.

Add a generous layer of your no-cook tomato sauce to an oven dish that’s big enough to hold all the shells. Reserve some of the sauce to drizzle on the stuffed shells.

Add the pasta shells to the oven dish. You can arrange them in orderly rows or just place them in for a more rustic look. Add a drizzle of the leftover tomato sauce to each pasta shell and sprinkle the rest of the shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Bake the pasta dish in the oven until bubbly or place it in the fridge if you want to bake it at a later time.

Tips & Alternatives

Use a piping bag to add the filling to the shells. This makes the filling process mess-free, quick and easy. If you haven’t got a piping bag you can use two spoons to add the mixture to the shells.
This is a rich meal but you can easily halve the portion size and serve it with a fresh green salad to up your veggie intake and make it a lighter meal.
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for about 3 days and are easy to reheat in the oven. Cover the dish with aluminium foil to prevent the top from burning.
Meal Prep: assemble in the complete dish and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. Alternatively, you can make the sauce and filling in advance and keep these in the fridge. This way you can assemble the dish right before baking.

Try these Italian recipes next:

If you love creamy comforting Italian dishes then you’ll love this Classic Homemade Lasagne. It’s filled with a rich bolognese sauce and covered in a velvety smooth béchamel sauce.
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Are you looking for another vegetarian dish with all the Italian flavours? Try this Spring Risotto, this mouthwatering recipe is full of fragrant herbs, luscious green vegetables and a hint of lemon.
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For a fresh and summery salad you can’t go wrong with this delicious classic Caprese Salad. It’s fresh, light and full of flavour.

Extra cheesy spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta shells

Servings: 4 portions
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

250 grams conchiglioni pasta shells (around 18 giant pieces or 36 normal)
500 grams ricotta
250 grams mozzarella, roughly chopped
200 grams parmesan cheese, shredded
200 grams spinach
6 garlic cloves
500 grams passata
1 tin tomato pieces (400 grams)
Fresh basil (18 leaves + 1 handful for sauce)
1/2 - 1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tsp oregano, divided
2 tsp black pepper, divided
2 tsp salt, divided
Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200 ℃ (390℉)
Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water until al dente. Don’t overcook them, you want them slightly undercooked and still firm. Rinse them carefully with cold water and arrange them on a clean tea towel.
Roughly chop the spinach and bake in a skillet with some olive oil. Stir occasionally. The spinach should be reduced by half, this will take about 3-4 minutes. Set the sauteed spinach aside.
Make the ricotta cheese filling.
In a large bowl: add the ricotta cheese, the chopped mozzarella and half of the shredded parmesan. Also add the sautéed spinach, 3 crushed garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes, 1,5 teaspoons of dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.
Make the no-cook tomato sauce.
In a medium-sized bowl add the passata, the tin of tomato pieces, the remaining 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1,5 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 handful of chopped fresh basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.
Add a generous layer of the tomato sauce to an oven dish. Reserve some tomato sauce to drizzle on top later on.
Put the ricotta mixture in a piping bag. Place one fresh basil leaf in each pasta shell. Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture. Place the filled pasta shells in the oven dish and arrange them nicely.
Add an extra drizzle of tomato sauce on top of the shells so that each shell has a little extra sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded parmesan cheese on top.
Bake the pasta dish in the oven for about 20 min at 200 ℃ (390℉) until bubbly.