Description
Hearty Easy Stuffed Shells showcase rich Italian-American comfort cuisine with creamy ricotta and spinach nestled in al dente pasta shells. Melted cheese and herbal notes complete this satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
- 2.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 15 oz (425 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons parsley, fresh and chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Shell Preparation: Boil water in a large pot with liberal salt, creating a rolling bubbling environment for pasta cooking.
- Pasta Cooking: Immerse jumbo shells into vigorously boiling water, cooking until achieving a perfectly tender texture with subtle resilience, approximately 8-9 minutes.
- Cooling Strategy: Drain shells immediately, then cascade cool water over them to interrupt cooking process, preventing overcooking and maintaining structural integrity.
- Shell Arrangement: Delicately spread shells across a pristine kitchen towel, ensuring minimal contact between individual pasta pieces to prevent unwanted adhesion and facilitate smooth filling preparation.
Notes
- Prevent Shell Sticking: Gently separate shells after draining to avoid clumping and ensure easy filling later.
- Master Al Dente Texture: Cook shells just until tender with a slight bite, avoiding overcooking which leads to mushy, fragile pasta.
- Quick Cooling Technique: Rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain ideal shell structure for stuffing.
- Strategic Surface Preparation: Use a clean, lint-free kitchen towel to spread shells flat, allowing them to cool evenly and remain intact for filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg