Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipes

RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells according to directions until they are al dente. Do not overcook. Run under cold water as soon as they are removed from the boiling water. Set aside for now.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
• Mix the ricotta cheese, egg, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Pour and spread 1 ¾ cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of the dish.
• Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta cheese mixture and place them evenly throughout the baking pan.
• Once all pasta shells are filled and nestled into the sauce, drizzle the remaining marinara over all the shells and top off with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
• Broil for 2 minutes to get your cheese nice and toasty (if you prefer). Serve garnished with minced fresh parsley, if desired.

STUFFED SHELLS III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until well combined. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, stir together pasta sauce, mushrooms and reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Pour over stuffed shells.
• Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.

RICOTTA-STUFFED SHELLS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Put a large pot of well-salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta shells, put the lid on the pot to help water return to a boil, then remove lid, stir pasta and continue cooking, uncovered until al dente, usually abut 10 minutes. (It's better to err on the undercooked side than risk flabby pasta, so check early and often.)
• Remove pasta from pot and cool in a large bowl of water. Drain well and spread cooked shells on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel.
• Meanwhile, make the ricotta filling: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, scallions, parsley, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and crushed red pepper to taste. Add grated Parmesan and pecorino. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish (use 2 dishes if necessary). Using a spoon or pastry bag, put about 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange the filled shells in one layer in the baking dish, packed closely together. Drizzle surface lightly with olive oil, or use a small brush to lightly paint each shell.
• Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup pecorino and bread crumbs and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until heated through, crisp and golden brown.
• To make the pesto, pulse basil, parsley, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor until roughly chopped. Add oil slowly and blend well. Add a little pepper, taste and adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl.
• To serve, drizzle shells with a little pesto sauce and pass the rest at the table.

CHICKEN-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the ricotta, cream cheese and bouillon until blended. Stir in chicken and Parmesan cheese. Drain shells; stuff with chicken mixture. Place in a shallow 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray. , In a small saucepan, bring cream and butter to a boil. Whisk in 3 tablespoons cheese and parsley. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour over shells. , Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through.

RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• For Shells: Boil according to directions on the box. Drain, rinse with cold water. Set them aside.
• For Sauce: Simmer the onion and garlic together in olive oil. When they are golden, add in the tomato and then spices. Cook for 15 minutes.
• For Filling: Add all filling ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
• Pour half your sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Stuff your closed, undamaged noodles and arrange them in one layer over the pan, opening side down. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of your noodles, then sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake covered for 45 minutes.

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
• Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
• To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.