Large pasta shells bursting at the seam with Parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta and cottage cheeses with an added pop of color from the spinach. Topped by a chunky marinara sauce, this meatless meal will definitely leave you satisfied!
I can’t remember when I started intentionally adding a meatless meal to our weekly menu. It’s been a few years, I think. It took a few months for my meat and potato husband to come around to the idea but now he comes to expect it. He also comes to expect the lovely dessert I bribe him to go along with the idea, although secretly, I think he’s totally on board and just likes to make a fuss about it.
I was excited to learn that the theme for this week’s Sunday Supper was Meatless Meals so that I could add a few new dishes to our weekly line up. Thanks so much to Tammi of Momma’s Meals for hosting. Tammi was the first blogger I connected with when I joined the Sunday Supper Movement and was so kind in showing me the ropes!
If you can boil water, you can make this dish. Even better, you can prepare this dish in advance and simply put it into the oven to warm through. That’s my kind of dish! I’ve made this dish while I’ve prepared lunch for my youngest two and then simply reheated it once the dinner hour arrived.
Speaking of my children, they literally inhaled these stuffed shells. My oldest ate five of them without a second thought. If that isn’t a seal of approval, I don’t know what is! Even my three year old who has all of a sudden decided she doesn’t “eat leaves,” also known as spinach to the rest of the world, ate them without complaint.
And can we talk about the cheese factor for a minute? Not one or two, but four – count them, four! – different cheeses steal the show. The filling couldn’t be easier as it’s simply stirred together in a large bowl. To insure each shell was filled evenly, I used a small cookie scoop. Definitely made the job quick and easy!
You will likely have additional shells leftover but I like to cook the entire box of pasta shells as some tend to break when cooking.
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz. jumbo pasta shells
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook pasta shells until just shy of al dente. Drain.
- In a large bowl, stir together cheeses, spinach, garlic and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium bowl, combine marinara sauced and diced tomatoes. Spoon 1/2 cup of sauce into 9x13 pan.
- Using small cookie scoop, fill each shell with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese and spinach mixture. Place filled shells in baking dish.
- Spoon remaining marinara sauce over stuffed shells
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbling and heated through.
- Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese.
Not only a delicious main dish that can be made ahead if needed, but a satisfying and meatless meal at that!
Looking for more meatless meal inspiration? Check out these other amazing dishes:
Salads, Soups, Stews and Starters
- Spicy Vegan Potato Salad by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto by Hip Foodie Mom
- Olive Tapenade by MealDiva
- Chickpea Chile Soup with Greens and Grains by Shockingly Delicious
- Thai Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Potato Chickpea Stew by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- “Beef” Stew with Potato Cake Tops by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
“Meat”balls
- Teriyaki Quinoa “Meatballs” by The Foodie Patootie
- Black Bean “Meatballs” with Marinara by Foxes Love Lemons
- Spicy Vegetarian Meatballs by Mess Makes Food
Pastas, Pizzas and Casseroles
- Zucchini and Mushroom Skillet Lasagna by Curious Cuisiniere
- Four Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Shells by Melanie Makes
- Spicy Penne with Tomatoes and Havarti by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cheesy Tomato Casserole by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Deconstructed Vegan “Lasagna” by What Smells So Good?
- Ramen Stir Fry by Ninja Baking
- Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Broccolini Macaroni and Cheese by Family Foodie
- Sundried Tomato and Zucchini Pizza with Goat Cheese by Healthy. Delicious.
- Creamy Parmesan Mushroom and Leek Pasta by Neighborfood
- Roasted Veggie Manicotti by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
- Pasta Patate by Webicurean
- Spaghetti and Chickpeas and Roasted Tomato Sauce by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Radicchio and Gorgonzola Tortelloni with Butter and Walnuts by Manu’s Menu
Burgers
- Quinoa Black Bean Burger with Ginger Cilantro & Turmeric by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Garbanzo and Brown Rice Burgers by girlichef
- Tofu Burgers by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Tacos & Everything Wrapped
- Blackened Tofu Tacos with Asian Slaw by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Mushroom & Poblano Tacos by La Cocina de Leslie
- Green Chile Enchiladas by Cookin’ Mimi
- Beet and Goat Cheese Tacos with Avocado Cream by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Black Bean and Avocado Flautas by Supper for a Steal
- Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos by Alida’s Kitchen
Other Main and Side Dishes
- Vegan, Gluten Free Breakfast Bars by Pies and Plots
- Mushroom and Lentil Cottage Pie by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mediterranean Tomato Tart by Magnolia Days
- Lentil Stuffed Peppers by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Fontina Polenta with Sauteed Porcini Mushrooms by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Leek and Zucchini Tarte Tatin by Food Lust People Love
- Tofu and Peas Curry (Tofu Matar) by Soni’s Food
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Anne @ Webicurean says
melanie says
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
Tammi @ Momma's Meals says
Cindy @ Hun... What's for Dinner? says
Laura Hunter says
melanie says
Lane @ Supper for a Steal says
Sarah says
Renee says
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
melanie says
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
Stacy says
melanie says
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
Dawn says
melanie says
The Ninja Baker says
melanie says
Jennifer Miller/MealDiva says
Shaina says
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
melanie says
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
melanie says
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Liz says
melanie says
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
melanie says