Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Whenever you’re in the mood to eat some cheesy pasta, this recipe of cheese and spinach stuffed shells is perfect. There are 4 types of cheeses in this dish, making it scrumptious and super delicious. I chose to mix some cottage and ricotta cheese for the stuffing, therefore making this dish healthier. I topped the shells with mozzarella cheese and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and it turned out so good. Comfort food at its finest.

The sauce I used is is just store bought sweet basil marinara sauce, but of course you could make your own. This dish is great because it’s quick, and it’s easy to make. I made this on a Sunday, but it could easily be made on a weekday.  I used a whole package of jumbo shells, only because some break, and I only wanted to use the ones that are whole. Cook the shells as per the instructions on the box and when they’re done, place them in ice cold water. I ended up filling 23 shells, making about 8 portions. For the filling, I mixed a cup of chopped spinach with ricotta cheese and cottage cheese, I used frozen spinach that I thawed out first  Make sure you squeeze out all the water from the spinach first. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix everything well together.

In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add about a cup of the marinara sauce and spread it out over the bottom of the dish.

Stuff each jumbo shell with a heaping spoon of the cheese and spinach mixture. Make sure you stuff it well. Place the shells on top of the sauce.

Top each stuffed shell with a tablespoon of the marinara sauce.

Take the mozzarella cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the shells.

Bake them in a preheated oven at 400 F degrees for 20 minutes, after which turn the heat on broil and bake for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, so that the cheese gets a little brown on top.

They look wonderful and they smell wonderful. I also grated some fresh Parmesan cheese which I sprinkled over the top after I removed the shells from the oven and garnished with some fresh basil.

This dish looks amazing, and it tastes delicious and it truly is a great meal. Your kids will thank you. Your spouse will thank you. You will thank yourself. Cheesy goodness.

Enjoy!