Conchiglioni Pasta
Baked conchiglioni pasta is filled with ricotta, Parmesan, spinach and mozzarella, then baked in a warm tomato sauce until tender and bubbly. This meatless meal is hearty and filling, Easy to prepare and perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Servings: 6 servings (2 to 3 shells each)
Calories: 466kcal
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
Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1378mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6810IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 669mg | Iron: 4mg
