Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Conchiglie (Printable)

Jumbo shells filled with spinach, ricotta, and cheese baked in rich tomato sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8.8 oz jumbo conchiglie (large pasta shells)

→ Filling

02 - 14 oz fresh spinach (or 8.8 oz frozen, thawed)
03 - 8.8 oz ricotta cheese
04 - 2.1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
08 - Salt, to taste
09 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Tomato Sauce

10 - 1 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 24 fl oz passata (sieved tomatoes)
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1 tsp sugar
16 - Salt, to taste
17 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Topping

18 - 2.1 oz grated mozzarella cheese
19 - 0.7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
20 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Boil pasta shells in salted water until just al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package recommendation. Drain and let cool on a towel.
03 - Wilt fresh spinach in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Cool and squeeze out excess moisture, then chop finely.
04 - In a bowl, blend chopped spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper until uniform.
05 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
06 - Incorporate passata, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a large baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta-spinach mixture and arrange shells in the dish.
08 - Pour remaining tomato sauce over the filled shells. Sprinkle mozzarella and extra Parmesan on top.
09 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
11 - Optionally garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impressive enough for company but honest enough for a quiet dinner alone with good bread and wine.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake it when hunger strikes, making it perfectly suited to chaotic evenings.
  • The ricotta filling stays impossibly creamy while the pasta shells hold everything together like edible boats.
02 -
  • Squeeze every last drop of moisture from the spinach or your filling will be watery and the shells won't stay filled, learned this the hard way during an unpleasant texture situation.
  • Don't skip cooking the pasta slightly underdone because it finishes cooking in the oven, and overcooked shells fall apart when you try to fill them.
  • The tiny pinch of nutmeg is non-negotiable, it's what makes people say this tastes like a restaurant dish.
03 -
  • Use a piping bag if you want to fill shells quickly and neatly, though a regular spoon works perfectly fine if that's what you have.
  • If your ricotta is very wet, drain it through cheesecloth for an hour before mixing to prevent a soggy final dish.
  • Let the finished dish rest for a few minutes before serving so the sauce sets slightly and everything holds together better on the plate.

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