This stuffed shell pasta is a showstopper recipe that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. It’s filled with creamy ricotta, spinach, and cheese, baked in a simple homemade marinara sauce—and all done in one pan. If you’re after an easy dish with big Italian flavours, this one’s for you.
It’s the kind of meal that feels like a treat but is still nourishing, balanced, and satisfying. It’s high in protein from the cheese and eggs, rich in calcium, and includes leafy greens for extra fibre and nutrients. It’s also budget-friendly, family-approved, and perfect for a cosy dinner or a meal to impress guests.
This recipe has become a staple in my kitchen, and it’s ideal for those days when you want something comforting and flavour-packed without too much effort. I hope it becomes a favourite in your home too.
The Right Pasta Shell
Not all pasta shells are created equal. For this recipe, you’ll want to use conchiglioni—the large pasta shells designed for stuffing. They hold their shape beautifully and are perfect for capturing all that creamy ricotta filling. Be sure to undercook the shells slightly before baking, as they will continue cooking in the oven. This prevents them from becoming too soft or falling apart. You can usually find them in most large supermarkets or Italian food shops.
Tips
- Don’t overcook the shells: They should be slightly underdone before going into the oven, so they keep their shape and don’t fall apart.
- Rinse pasta after boiling: This helps prevent sticking, especially when you need to handle and fill each shell.
- Use oven and hob-safe casserole dish: It keeps everything to one pan and makes serving easy.
- Add water to the sauce if it’s too thick: The pasta will absorb some liquid in the oven.
- Cover with foil: If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Swaps
Ricotta: Cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt work too, but I haven’t tested them.
Mozzarella: Use cheddar or any mild melty cheese.
Spinach: Kale or chard work well—just make sure they’re wilted and squeezed dry.
Parmesan: Nutritional yeast is a good dairy-free option.
Pasta shells: You could try cannelloni or even lasagne sheets rolled up, though the presentation will be different.
Storage
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze before baking for best results. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then bake as usual.
More Pasta Recipes
- One-Pan Marry Me Pasta
- Creamy & Golden Butternut Squash Pasta
- Silken Tofu Harissa Pasta
- Authentic Bolognese Ragù
Pasta Shell
Ingredients
- 24 pasta shells
- 250 g ricotta
- 30 g Parmesan cheese
- handful grated mozzarella
- 1-2 handful spinach part boiled
- Spices 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder, 1 tsp lemon zest
For the marinara sauce
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3 garlic clove
- oil
Instructions
- Half cook the pasta shells (check the cooking time and cook for ~3 minutes less than what the pasta package instructions are telling you), rinse under hot water so they don’t stick with each others, then set aside.
- In a large casserole (hob and oven proof) prepare the marinara sauce. Add a bit of extra virgin olive oil to a pan a cook all the marinara ingredients. Let it reduce down then add (150ml hot water), mix.
- Add the spinach to some boiling water for 1 minute or 2 or until they go soft, rinse and squeeze with your hands.
- Prepare the filling by mixing in a bowl the filling ingredients.
- Fill the pasta shells with the filling mix (~2 tsp of filling each shell) you will have enough to fill all of them.
- Add the shells to the casserole and then bake for ~20 minutes. Time may vary depending on the cooking time of your pasta and also how you like it to be cooked so keep an eye at all times.
- Serve with a good extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. I love this dish, I hope you too