Description
Festive Christmas Stuffed Pasta is a cozy, crowd-pleasing easy dinner loaded with creamy ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, and tender pasta shells baked in rich marinara sauce. It is one of those holiday food ideas that feels special enough for Christmas dinner, yet simple enough for a quick dinner, make-ahead meal, or comforting family pasta night when you need reliable dinner ideas.
Ingredients
12 oz jumbo pasta shells
15 oz ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups marinara sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells until just al dente. Drain and set them apart in a single layer so they do not stick.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with the olive oil.
3. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, squeezed spinach, 1 cup mozzarella, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
4. Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Fill each cooked shell with the spinach and cheese mixture, then arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish.
6. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, and the breadcrumbs.
7. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
9. Let the pasta rest for 5 minutes, then top with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Use a few extra pasta shells in case some tear while boiling.
Squeeze the spinach very well so the filling stays rich and not watery.
You can assemble the dish a day ahead, cover it, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 498
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 986mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 86mg