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Home / How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Shells

How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Home » Food » Pasta » Vegetarian Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Broccoli

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These Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Broccoli Ricotta Filling make a delicious and hearty vegetarian meal the whole family will love! The jumbo stuffed shells, ricotta and veggies are baked with plenty of sauce and mozzarella... YUM!

Stuffed Shells with Spinach

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Broccoli

Tradition is such an important part of cooking.  Even when we change things up a bit, they are pretty much always based off earlier recipes or foods we have eaten in the past.

This Stuffed Shells with Spinach Ricotta and Broccoli is no exception.  It is a lightened up and extra "veggie'd" version of traditional Italian Stuffed Shells, which was one of the dishes my mom used to make that I really liked.  When she made a big pan full of stuffed jumbo shells with sauce our whole family got excited.

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

To modernize the dish, and fit it into my current dietary goals, I added a good deal of broccoli and spinach to the ricotta filling.  I also opted for part skim ricotta, and lightened it up a bit further by substituting a third of the ricotta with 2% cottage cheese.  The results were quite delicious and nutritious.

If you don't quite have the time to make the stuffed shells today, try my Cheesy Cavatelli and Broccoli. It is another classic vegetarian pasta recipe. If you really want to make a vegetarian feast, make both this and my eggplant casserole recipe!

Stuffed Jumbo Shells Recipe with Broccoli and Spinach Ricotta Filling: How to Make

Here is a quick visual walk through of the preparation of this vegetarian Stuffed Shells recipe. Full recipe below.

Ingredients you will need:

  • 1 pound box jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 cups broccoli florets fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup spinach leaves frozen
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups part skim ricotta
  • 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • 8 oz shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella ½ in filling, ½ on top
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 45 oz jar of marinara sauce

1. Start by boiling the jumbo shells until they are cooked al dente. Once they are cooked, then  preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
broccoli spinach ricotta filling

2. While jumbo pasta shells are boiling & oven is preheating, start making the broccoli spinach ricotta filling.  Pulse the broccoli and spinach in food processor.  Toss in an egg.

spinach ricotta stuffed shells filling

3. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well.

sauce

4. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a pool of pasta sauce.

jumbo stuffed shells spinach ricotta filling

5. Stuff the al dente shells with broccoli spinach ricotta filling, and nestle in the sauce.

stuffed shells in oven

6. You can top with more sauce, but if the sauce is relatively deep after adding the shells it is optional.  I did a dish each way.  Bake for 25 min.

topping the vegetarian shells with cheese

7. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 5-6 minutes more, until melted.

Stuffed Jumbo Shells Recipe with vegetarian filling

8. Enjoy your vegetarian stuffed shells! They are typically served with grated Parmesan cheese and bread.

  • 1 pound box jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 cups broccoli florets fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup spinach leaves frozen
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups part skim ricotta
  • 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • 8 oz shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella ½ in filling, ½ on top
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 45 oz jar of marinara sauce

  • Boil the jumbo shells to al dente. While boiling prepare the filling.

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  • Pulse broccoli and spinach in food processor until no piece is larger than a pea.

  • Place the processed broccoli and spinach in large bowl.

  • Add the egg, ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan, ½ the shredded cheese and seasonings. Mix well.

  • Cover bottom of baking dish/es with sauce about ¾" deep.

  • Scoop filling into shells and nestle into the sauce. You may find they don't all fit in one dish.

  • Top with a little sauce, unless the pasta is mostly covered, then optional.

  • Bake for 24-25 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5-6 more minutes.

  • All ow to cool a few minutes before serving.

Calories: 376 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 23 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 53 mg | Sodium: 1020 mg | Potassium: 702 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 1344 IU | Vitamin C: 26 mg | Calcium: 330 mg | Iron: 3 mg

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How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Source: https://momfoodie.com/broccoli-and-spinach-stuffed-jumbo-shells-recipe/