Party Perfect! These Pull-Apart Cheesy Stuffed Shells are a great appetizer or main dish for your next pasta night. They are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Disclosure – I may get a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links in this post.
Key to Success #1 – Drain the Spinach
You can use fresh or frozen spinach in this Pull-Apart Cheesy Stuffed Shells recipe. I used frozen spinach that could be cooked in the bag.
Once the spinach is cooked, you’ll want to drain it into a colander and then use the back of a spoon to press the spinach to really get all the liquids out of it.
You can even use a paper towel to blot the spinach if desired.
Key to Success #2 – Stuff the Shells Immediately
Cook the jumbo shells according to package directions then drain them well.
As soon as they’re cool enough to handle, you’ll want to start stuffing them. If you let them sit, they’ll start to get gummy and stick together.
It’s fairly easy to fill the jumbo shells. I used a large table spoon and just slipped a couple tablespoons of filling into each shell. I didn’t have to turn the shells inside out or anything.
Key to Success #3 – Use Plenty of Marinara Sauce
Be sure to spoon plenty of marinara sauce between the jumbo shells in your spiral.
This will help prevent the shells from sticking together or getting hard in the oven.
I had a 23 oz jar of marinara sauce and I used every bit of it.
I should also mention that this recipe will not be enough to fill up a full pound of jumbo shells. In my 9-inch pie pan, I could fit about 18-20 shells in my spiral.
If you want to use the full pound of shells, I’d suggest doubling the cheese filling recipe and using two pie pans or a larger casserole dish.
Go ahead and give this delicious recipe a try!
Please like and share the Pull-Apart Cheesy Stuffed Shells image below.
Pull-Apart Cheesy Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded (divided)
- 1 cup spinach cooked
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- salt & pepper
- 1 lb jumbo pasta shells cooked
- 1 jar marinara sauce divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a pie pan, pour a layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
- One at a time, unfold the jumbo shell and stuff it with 1-2 Tbsp of cheese filling. Place stuffed shells cheese side up in a spiral pattern on top of the marinara sauce.
- Spoon more marinara in between shells then top dish with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
Mark
Saturday 16th of September 2023
Does the one cup mozarella (second ingredient) go into the cheese mixture, or is it only for topping (last ingredient)?
Jennifer
Saturday 16th of September 2023
Yes! The mozzarella goes into the cheese mixture and then you top it with more mozzarella.