Basil Ricotta Stuffed Shells
I love making Italian meals for dinner. Especially when they are flavorful and quick to assemble. These crowd-pleasing basil and ricotta stuffed shells are creamy, hearty and comforting. They are the ultimate Italian weeknight dinner. To make it complete, add a side salad and breadsticks or garlic bread. Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
- 1 (15 oz) pkg ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (and more for garnish)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 1/4 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare an 8X8 baking dish. Set aside.
- Cook shell pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a small skillet, cook Italian sausage until browned and crumbled, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in spinach. Cook until it starts to wilt, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, Italian seasoning, Kosher salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour ½ cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of an 8X8 baking dish. Layer Italian sausage crumbles evenly on top of sauce.
- Stuff each pasta shell with ricotta mixture and place in baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Place into oven.
- Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil. Return to oven to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until top begins to brown.
- Serve immediately warm and top it with Parmesan cheese.