Full of flavor and super simple to make, these spinach stuffed shells will become one of your favorite recipes. Packed full of three different cheeses and baked in your favorite sauce, these stuffed shells are cheesy and delicious and can be served with your favorite dinner roll or garlic bread recipe for extra enjoyment.
What is al dente?
In Italian, al dente literally translates to “to the tooth”. This phrase is used to describe the texture of pasta when it is cooked until tender but firm and chewy when you bite into it. This is usually approximately 2 minutes less than most package cook times. Al dente pasta holds its shape better and in this recipe, is easier to work with when stuffing the shells with the cheese filling. Al dente pasta also contains more starches which allows the sauce to stick to it better.
Al dente pasta is actually more nutrient-dense than fully cooked pasta because the starch molecules have not been fully released into the boiling water. This allows them to be slowly digested by your body which in turn lowers the glycemic index, meaning you will experience less of a blood sugar spike when consuming pasta prepared this way.
How to Serve Spinach Stuffed Shells
Spinach stuffed shells can be served as a main course, with a side of dinner rolls or garlic bread, making it a great vegetarian option. It also works great as a side dish with a meat entree if you’d like to stretch it to feed more people.
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Description
Full of flavor and super simple to make, these spinach stuffed shells will become one of your favorite recipes. Packed full of three different cheeses and baked in your favorite sauce, these stuffed shells are cheesy and delicious and can be served with your favorite dinner roll or garlic bread recipe for extra enjoyment.
Ingredients
For topping
Instructions
-
Cook shells to al dente. This usually takes slightly less time than the package recommends. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
-
Finely chop spinach and steam or microwave for 3-5 minutes. Drain well, removing as much liquid as possible. You may need to use a towel to squeeze the excess liquid out.
-
In a large bowl, mix the spinach, cheeses, egg whites, and spices until well combined. Don’t be afraid to use your hands if you need to.
-
Grease a glass 9x13 pan. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan.
-
Stuff shells with about 2 tablespoons of cheese filling mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
-
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
-
Remove foil, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 341kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11.7g18%
- Saturated Fat 5.7g29%
- Cholesterol 38.8mg13%
- Sodium 802mg34%
- Total Carbohydrate 43.7g15%
- Dietary Fiber 4.5g18%
- Sugars 8.8g
- Protein 16.2g33%
- Calcium 277.8 mg
- Iron 3.3 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
This recipes makes about 18 stuffed shells, or 6 servings of 3 shells with sauce.
Storage
Spinach stuffed shells can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days after cooking. Spinach stuffed shells freeze well and can be frozen, unbaked, for up to 3 months. When freezing, shells are best thawed overnight in the fridge before baking but can also be baked from frozen. Just add an additional 20-30 minutes to the bake time.
