If you’re looking for the BEST Stuffed Shells recipe, you’ve come to the right place! These classic stuffed shells are filled with a creamy 4-cheese blend with the best Italian seasonings, sautéed garlic, and the optional addition of spinach. These shells are perfectly cooked and are make-ahead and freezer friendly!
Be sure to serve this with some Garlic Bread with Cheese, and try my Taco Stuffed Shells recipe next!
Stuffed Shells
You are absolutely going to love the 4-cheese filling in these stuffed shells, and the spinach, garlic, and Italian seasoning blend add just the right touch. I love that you can make this meal ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it until you’re ready to bake it!
Let’s go through how to make it, and be sure to check out my PRO tips for this recipe below!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Boil the shells in salted water for 1 minute less than al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop them from cooking further.
While the shells boil, sauté garlic and spinach in olive oil until softened and wilted. Let cool.
Combine ricotta, seasonings, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, 1 egg, and cooled spinach/garlic.
Spread 1/2 of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Fill the shells with the cheese mixture and place in the baking dish. Top with remaining marinara sauce.
Top with remaining mozzarella/Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Make Ahead Method
- Assemble and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead of time. Add 10 minutes to covered baking time.
- Assemble and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it fully thaw in the fridge and add 10 minutes to covered baking time.
Pro Tips
- Boil extra shells in case some break during the boiling or draining process.
- The spinach is optional but adds a nice touch! Frozen spinach may also be used, be sure to let it thaw and pat it dry.
- To incorporate meat into the mix, make this with my meat sauce recipe instead of regular marinara.
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt and taste much better.
- Low moisture whole milk mozzarella melts the best in this recipe.
- I love to use Dragone for the mozzarella, BelGioioso for the Parmesan, and Philadelphia for the cream cheese.
- Rao’s is my go-to brand for marinara sauce, (it’s really good)!
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 135!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- This is the Le Creuset skillet I used in this recipe, (and in 90% of my recipes). It’s pricey, but it conducts heat really well and is oven safe. The size is perfect and the quality is great.
- Box Cheese Grater– Lets you finely shred the cheese. (Always shred from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese.)
- Pasta Strainer– This is the one I use, it’s the perfect size.
Try These Next
Get My Free Meal Plan
I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!
And follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 18-20 jumbo pasta shells, boil extra in case some break
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups spinach
- 15 oz. Ricotta
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Seasonings
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Boil shells in salted water for 1 minute less than al dente, (around 13 minutes, refer to package). Set a timer to avoid overcooking them. Drain once cooked and gently rinse with cold water until the water on the bottom comes out cool. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. (Optional: Slice the spinach into strips before cooking it if smaller pieces are preferred.)Add the spinach and toss to coat. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Set aside and let cool.
- Place the ricotta in a large bowl and add the seasonings. Use a silicone spatula to stir to combine. Add half of the mozzarella cheese and most of the Parmesan, but reserve a little Parmesan to sprinkle over the top before baking. Add the cream cheese and the egg and stir to combine. Fold in the cooled spinach and garlic.
- Add half of the marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (or a round 12-inch oven-safe skillet) Use a spoon to fill each pasta shell with the cheese mixture and place it in the baking dish.
- Add the remaining marinara sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!
Notes
- Boil extra shells in case some break during the boiling or draining process.
- The spinach is optional but adds a nice touch! Frozen spinach may also be used, be sure to let it thaw and pat it dry.
- To incorporate meat into the mix, make this with my meat sauce recipe instead of regular marinara.
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt and taste much better.
- Low moisture whole milk mozzarella melts the best in this recipe.
- I love to use Dragone for the mozzarella, BelGioioso for the Parmesan, and Philadelphia for the cream cheese.
- Rao's is my go-to brand for marinara sauce, (it's really good)!
- This recipe makes about 18 shells and has 6 servings. Nutritional facts are based on 3 shells per person.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 135!
Make Ahead Method:
- Assemble and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead of time. Add 10 minutes to covered baking time.
- Assemble and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it fully thaw in the fridge and add 10 minutes to covered baking time.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
These were the best shells I have made! Thanks for the recipe!
Wahooo! That’s what I love to hear Amelia! I make this one a lot since it makes such a great freezer food. Thanks so much for the great review!😃
This recipe is so delicious and easy! I’ve made it twice now. The only changes I make are adding more spinach than called for, and using either homemade meat sauce instead of plain marinara, or putting cooked ground beef into the cheese filling (I’ve done both, and both turned out great). My meat-loving husband was very happy! Thanks for such a keeper – I think the secret may be the cream cheese in the filling. Yum!
Hey Danielle! I am so happy that you love this recipe as much as we do! And I LOVE that you make it with meat sauce, I am actually going to update the post to include a link to my own meat sauce recipe (which is FAB and you should try it sometime!)- Thank you for your suggestions and for the rating, it’s soo appreciated! -Stephanie
These were absolutely scrumptious. We followed your recipe exactly they way you said. If you want amazing stuff shells you have to try these. ❤️❤️❤️
Yayyy! That makes me so happy Wendy! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and leave a review!❤️
This recipe looks amazing, but I do have a quick question before I make them. I have all the ingredients except for the shells, our local grocery story was out. I do have extra lasagna noodles on hand. Do you foresee a problem using this spinach and cheese filling in lasagna roll ups. I really prefer your recipe over others I have viewed.
Hi Jeanne! This would make a great filling for some cheese lasagna rollups, absolutely! Someone recently used manicotti noodles as well, they had the same problem with finding shells. So you will be good to go, enjoy!! 🙂
Thanks so much for the quick response and a delicious meal. I wouldn’t change a thing!!!
That’s so great to hear Jeanne, you’re very welcome! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!❤️
What do you cover this with when you put in the oven? And what temperature do you reheat it at?
My baking dish has a cover, but if yours doesn’t, I would use foil. You can reheat at 350 🙂
This was amazing! I only had Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese, but it was still so good! Definitely something you should make for your family if they love cheese and pasta.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Taryn! Great to hear it turned out good with just herb and garlic cream cheese! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!😍
I love the shells. I put a piece of parchment paper over the shells and then foil before I baked them so that the cheese wouldn’t melt into the foil
Carlene
I’m so happy you enjoyed the Shells Carlene! Thanks for the helpful comments and for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
I made this but made it for only 2 and I added 1/2 pound hamburger to it. OMG – it was so good. Thanks so much for posting. And, yes I served cheesy garlic bread with it – Yum!!!
I’m so happy you liked it Kathi! Great call on the side of cheesy garlic bread😋. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I made these Stuff Shells tonight for my family. Usually I don’t give reviews but this recipe was a hit for my whole family. I followed the recipe to a ‘T’. I even bought the Rao’s as you recommended for the sauce. I was not disappointed. It tasted like a restaurant quality meal. I find the tips you give so helpful because I can almost always find the answers to my questions in your tips. I think my husband is changing his mind about my cooking ability. HAHAHA…not looking too bad now am I? Thanks again! Will be making this regularly!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Sophia! I love that your husband is taking you seriously as a cook… nice work!😍 Thanks so much for the great comments and review!
This was loved by the whole family Steph! I ended up just putting a little spinach in since I didn’t want to scare away the kiddos lol. They ended up cleaning their plates. Another winner, thanks so much!
I’m so happy the whole family enjoyed this Terri! I totally understand about the spinach. Gotta love the little picky eaters. Thanks so much for the great review!❤️