These stuffed shells became an instant hit around here. I always keep large shells ready to go in the pantry, and once a month, I prepare the filling and then refrigerate it until I need it. It really has become a simple way to make this process even faster. I now take these stuffed shells and am able to make them in under 20 minutes due to my little trick of keeping the mixture ready to go. Everyone loves this and with a side of garlic bread, you have the perfect go-to meal for your busy weeknights!
Check out what our friends over at Craving some Creativity had to say about this:
“I add spinach which also makes me feel good as a mom when I tell people, “Yes, my son eats spinach, no problem!” (We can keep the cheese part just between us.)”
Hahaha, that momma knows what she is talking about! She hides spinach in her kid’s foods, oh yeah!
Ingredients
1 package jumbo pasta shells 16oz
4 cups Polly-O ricotta
12 oz shredded Kraft mozzarella cheese
2 Eggs lightly beaten
4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 cup kraft parmesan grated or shredded is fine
1 large jar spaghetti sauce
4 cups spinach rough chopped and stems removed if you prefer
1 lb ground Italian sausage
dried parsley for garnish
Instructions
In a skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain any excess fat and remove from heat. In the same saucepan, cook spinach until wilted or about 1-2 minutes. Cook the shells according to package directions (I cook them until they are pliable for filling and no more).
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 8oz of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of parmesan, eggs, oregano, and garlic powder. Stir in the spinach.
Coat the bottom of a 9x13in pan with the entire jar of spaghetti sauce. Spoon the cheese mixture into the shells and place shells open side up, very close together in the dish. There will be more shells than will fit into this pan and you can either make a second smaller pan (5×8 is good) or freeze for future use. Sometimes the shells also break in the box so this is fine.
Sprinkle the sausage over the top of the shells. Then sprinkle with the remaining 4oz of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. If you like a cheesy crust, you may broil it uncovered for 3-5 minutes (watch closely). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
USE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW.
Quick Tip: If you do not have ricotta, feel free to use cottage cheese
Thanks again to Craving Some Creativity for this amazing recipe.
