Description
These Christmas Stuffed Shells are festive, creamy, cheesy, and packed with holiday warmth! Jumbo pasta shells are filled with a rich ricotta-spinach mixture, topped with vibrant marinara and melty mozzarella. Perfect for Christmas dinner, potlucks, and cozy holiday gatherings!
Ingredients
Scale
-
- For the Stuffed Shells:
- 20–24 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 cup frozen, thawed and drained)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- For Baking:
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1–1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cook the jumbo shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and cooked spinach.
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce along the bottom of the baking dish.
- Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and arrange them in the dish.
- Top with remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and golden.
- Garnish with basil or parsley before serving. Enjoy warm!
Notes
For festive color, use a mix of classic marinara and basil pesto drizzled on top. These stuffed shells can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Add red pepper flakes for a spicy Christmas twist!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: stuffed shells, Christmas pasta, holiday dinner, ricotta stuffed shells, baked pasta, festive Christmas recipes