These meat and spinach filled stuffed shells remind me of my Italian Grandmother!
Scale
Ingredients
- 16 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
- 2 pounds meatloaf mix (pork, beef and veal combined)
- 1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (part-skim or regular)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 5 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
- Cook the shells according to package directions and drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat to brown, crumbling as it cooks. Drain any drippings from the pan.
- Add the spinach, salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder and dried basil. Transfer the meat filling to a large bowl and then stir in the ricotta and parmesan cheese.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add about a cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the beef filling and add in an even layer to the baking dish.
- Pour more sauce over the top to cover the shells and then top with the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil, then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
Recipe Notes
If your shells don’t all fit into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, grab another 8″ x 8″ baking dish for the rest.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top/Oven
- Cuisine: American
