Description
Comforting Christmas Stuffed Pasta with ricotta, spinach, and marinara—an easy, festive vegetarian holiday dinner idea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 18–20 jumbo pasta shells
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, cooked until wilted
- 2 cups (16 oz) full-fat ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese (plus extra for serving; Parmesan works too)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus extra for pasta water)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce (plus extra for serving)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook spinach in a skillet until wilted. Let cool slightly, then squeeze out excess moisture and chop.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, pecorino, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Fold chopped spinach into the ricotta mixture until evenly combined.
- Spread marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Stuff each pasta shell generously with the ricotta mixture and place in the dish.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with extra pecorino if desired.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until bubbling.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with extra marinara.
Notes
Don’t overcook shells—they should hold their shape.
Full-fat ricotta gives the creamiest filling.
Add mozzarella if you prefer a cheesier top.