Conchiglioni Pasta is jumbo pasta shells stuffed with creamy, three cheese mix and cooked in a delicious tomato sauce. Bubbling out of the oven, this is the Italian comforting meatless dinner you need tonight.
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Baked Stuffed Shells
This dish is incredibly hearty and filling for a meatless recipe. It uses pantry staples which means no special trip to the grocery store and no hard to find ingredients. It is more like my Meatless Baked Ziti but easier to serve in individual portions.
I like how impressive this dinner looks without much effort. A family friendly dinner perfect for meal prep as well. I have a feeling this will become a regular in your monthly meal rotation, just like it has for my family.
Ingredients
Pro Tip
Remove excess water from spinach by either placing in a fine mesh colander and pushing on it with the back of a spoon or my preference is to squeeze the water out of the spinach with clean or gloved hands. This ensures there is no excess water in the spinach leaves.
Conchiglioni Pasta
Ingredients
Pasta + Sauce
- 20 to 22 jumbo Conchiglioni pasta shells
- 24 oz jarred tomato sauce or 3 cups homemade sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
Filling
- 8 oz block of low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 10 oz frozen spinach thawed
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 4 oz Parmesan cheese shredded (plus extra for garnish)
Garnish
- Extra grated parmesan chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook the pasta shells in salted water for about 3-4 minutes less than the package instructions.
- Scoop the shells out with a slotted skimmer and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat add in tomato sauce. Add in garlic and Italian seasoning. Gently heat until warm for about 3 to 4 minutes to allow the seasonings to bloom and flavor the sauce. Remove from heat. Pour about 2 cups of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, reserving 1 cup for later.
Filling
- In a large bowl add in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella, Oregano, salt, pepper and a large egg. Mix until just combined.
- Squeeze any excess water out of the spinach and stir into the cheese mixture.
- Using a spoon, scoop up a teaspoon of the ricotta spinach mixture and place into each Conchiglioni pasta shell. The shells should be flexible enough to hold open with one hand and spoon the filling in. Place into the baking pan in the pasta sauce. It is okay to allow the shells to touch.
- Once the baking pan has been filled, drizzle the remaining tomato sauce over the top of each shell and then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the sauce and shells.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil the last 15 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and slightly brown.
- It is done when the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
Notes
- Remove excess water from spinach by either placing in a fine mesh colander and pushing on it with the back of a spoon or my preference is to squeeze the water out of the spinach with clean or gloved hands. This ensures there is no excess water in the spinach leaves.
- Spray the tin foil with non-stick spray before covering with foil to keep the melted cheese from sticking to the foil.
- The shells do not need to be perfect, if they tear, rest easy as they will still bake beautifully.
- You can use bagged mozzarella if you prefer.
- Add a pinch of Red pepper flakes to the filling for a gentle heat.
Nutrition
How to Make Conchiglioni Pasta
1- Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes less than the package instructions. They need to be flexible enough to stuff but still quite firm (very al dente) so they don’t get mushy while baking. Scoop them out gently with a slotted spoon and lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet to prevent sticking.
2- Pour tomato sauce into a skillet and stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Let it gently warm for a few minutes. This step instantly upgrades canned sauce into something that tastes homemade. Pour 2 cups of this sauce into the bottom of your baking dish, reserving the last cup for later.
3- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, shredded Parmesan, spices, and the egg. Thoroughly squeeze the excess water out of your thawed frozen spinach and fold it into the cheese mixture.
4- Use a spoon to fill pasta shells with a generous portion of the ricotta spinach mixture. Nestle the stuffed shells right into the sauce in your baking dish. It is perfectly fine if they touch or crowd each other.
5- Drizzle the reserved cup of tomato sauce over the shells, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Cover tightly with foil and bake then remove the foil to let the cheese melt, bubble, and turn beautifully golden brown.
FAQs
Yes, jumbo shells, also sometimes labeled as No. 95 are conchiglioni shells. They look small but will open easily once cooked and be perfect for filling and baking.
Absolutely. You can use low-fat ricotta, bagged shredded mozzarella, or even add provolone for extra creamy flavor.
Heating the sauce helps the garlic and seasonings bloom and develop flavor. However if you’re short on time you can skip the skillet and add the sauce and seasonings directly into the baking dish.
Leftover stuffed Conchiglioni pasta can be wrapped and stored in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Cover with plastic wrap and reheat in your microwave for 30 second increments.
Yes! Sweat the spinach with a little water until wilted either in your microwave or skillet. Once cooled, squeeze any excess water out of it.
Use bagged shredded cheese instead of fresh if you prefer. Stir a spoonful of pesto into the ricotta for a brighter flavor. Swap spinach for sautéed mushrooms. Or add more heat with more red pepper flakes.
If you can't find jumbo conchiglioni shells, manicotti or cannelloni tubes are the best substitutes. You can pipe the filling right into the tubes using a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.
More Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
- Ground Beef Pasta Bake
- Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
- Tuscan Chicken Orzo
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