Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells with Marinara Sauce
- Yield 10 servings
- Prep 30 minutes
- Cook 1 hour +
I first tried these stuffed shells at a tiny Italian restaurant. They were so tasty and such a treat, I had to learn how to make them myself.—Jack Witherspoon
Chronicle Books
Ingredients
- Marinara Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 -- yellow onion, chopped
- 3 -- garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -- (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 -- (14 1/2-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 -- beef bouillon cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- -- Freshly ground pepper
- Pasta:
- 1 -- (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 -- garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- To prepare marinara sauce, heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, basil, oregano, parsley and sugar. Stir well. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 6 cups.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Toss cooked pasta with olive oil and set aside.
- Combine spinach with 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well and squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture. Finely chop spinach.
- Combine mozzarella, ricotta, eggs, garlic, spinach 1/2 cup Parmesan, nutmeg and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to blend. Generously stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture. Place stuffed shells in 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking dishes and cover with marinara sauce. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is hot and bubbly. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Jack Witherspoon’s Twist It Up (Chronicle Books, 2011).
