Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine

Teresa Ambra

Stuffed Shells Florentine is one wonderful pasta main dish. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a ricotta cheese filling that includes spinach, parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Then they’re tossed in a casserole dish, topped with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. The combination of flavors and texture is amazing.

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I made this delicious recipe again the other day for company and everyone raved over it. It’s a great meatless dish that has wonderful flavors. Tomatoes, pasta, lots of cheese–what’s not to like? I love pasta – especially anything with spinach in it.

This satisfying pasta dish is a quick and easy Taste of Home recipe. It’s a great addition to your dinner menu collection. You can make it completely vegetarian by using spaghetti sauce without meat or add meat sauce if you prefer. I have made significant modifications to the original recipe but I believe they are an improvement.

If you’re looking for a scrumptious Italian pasta dish and you enjoy spinach in your pasta recipes, you’ll love this dish.  This lovely Italian dish is a great recipe to add to your repertoire and it’s usually liked by all who taste it.

When I initially posted this recipe in June of 2012 my pictures were nothing short of deplorable. I put too much sauce and cheese on the shells (because that’s the way we like it). Unfortunately, you couldn’t distinguish the ingredients very well. The original pictures were also taken with a poor quality iPhone camera which didn’t help.

I recently remade this recipe for company (December 2014) and decided to retake the pictures. These ones do a little better justice to this scrumptious recipe. This time I decided to take some pictures before I poured all the sauce over top of the shells in the casserole dish so you can see the ingredients a little more clearly.

Our company just loved this excellent pasta recipe. I actually made it a day beforehand. Then I put it on a time bake while we were at church the next day. When I got home I added cheese and that was all I had to do.

Whenever I can make things in advance it is a win-win for me, especially when we’re having company. That way I can spend time getting my house in order! If you like spinach, you will love this pasta recipe. It’s one of the best out there.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine is a wonderful Italian pasta dish. It will easily serve 10-12 servings with other food.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Every bite will have you salivating like Pavlov’s dogs! 🙂

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine is a wonderful Meatless Mondays dish.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

This is one of the most delicious pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten.

Here’s what I did.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

I used these ingredients.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Empty container of ricotta cheese into mixing bowl. Add egg, parmesan cheese, seasonings, salt and pepper. 

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Thaw spinach. Drain by pressing spinach against the edges of a colander with your hand or fist until you get out as much moisture as possible. I actually squeezed the spinach in my hands in order to get every last drop! Add drained spinach to ricotta ingredients in bowl.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stir ingredients to combine.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Cook shells to al dente. I usually cook them about 3-5 minutes less than the longest amount of time given so the shells don’t disintegrate and start breaking apart. Remove shells from pan with a slotted spoon and place on waxed paper to cool.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Spray a large 10×15″ glass pan with cooking spray. I used olive oil cooking spray. Stuff shells with ricotta-spinach mixture. Place stuffed shells in baking dish. You will finish with about 2 layers of shells. It’s okay to stack them on top of each other.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Cover the shells with sauce. I used a 45-oz. jar of Prego. Any good spaghetti sauce with the flavors you like will do.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Bake at 350, covered with foil, about 45 minutes to an hour. 

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Remove foil. Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese over top of the shells and bake about 5-10 minutes longer, or until cheese melts. 

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Serve with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine has such a delicious combination of flavors. It has a lot of cheese so it’s rich, but wow, it’s amazing!

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine is a great dish to make for company.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

I love eating jumbo shells. The filling for these shells is really spectacular. If you want comfort food for your family, this is it!

Here’s the recipe.

STUFFED SHELLS FLORENTINE

(Adapted from Taste of Home Recipe — I found this recipe in their Pasta Recipe Cards, but it is also printed in their Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook, 2001)

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine

Teresa Ambra
Stuffed Shells Florentine is one of our favorite pasta dishes. This lovely Meatless Monday dish is a wonderful Italian entree using jumbo shells stuffed with a spinach-ricotta-parmesan mixture, topped with spaghetti sauce and cheese. It's terrific for family or company dinners. Everyone always raves over it!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Pasta Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 15
Calories 341 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large stock pot with lid
  • 1 colander
  • waxed paper
  • 1 10x15" glass baking dish
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • aluminum foil

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz. pkg. jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 30 oz. ctns. ricotta cheese (two 15-ounce containers)
  • 10 oz. pkg. spinach frozen, chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 16 oz. bag Parmesan cheese shredded (two 8-ounce bags)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 45 oz. jar spaghetti sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta shells according to package directions.
  • Do not overcook or they will break apart easily. (I usually cook about 12 minutes).
  • Drain in colander, spray with cold water to stop cooking process.
  • Spoon shells onto large cutting board or waxed paper to cool.
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the egg, Ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 bag Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
  • Mix well.
  • Spoon cheese mixture into shells.
  • Place stuffed shells into sprayed 10x15” baking dish.
  • You will have to layer some of the shells on top of others.
  • Pour spaghetti sauce over top of shells.
  • Sprinkle with remaining bag of Parmesan cheese to cover surface area.
  • Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Notes

NOTE: Be careful not to overcook the noodles or cook them the full length of time according to the package directions. They will break apart easily unless they are cooked al dente or even a little less. They will finish cooking while the casserole bakes in the oven.
 
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 20gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1065mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2681IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 435mgIron: 2mg
Keyword main dish, parmesan cheese, pasta, spinach, stuffed shells
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Stuffed Shells Florentine[/b]
Recipe Type: Pasta Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from [url href=”http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/stuffed-shells-florentine” target=”_blank” title=”stuffed shells florentine”]Taste of Home[/url]
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
This lovely Meatless Monday dish is a wonderful Italian entree using jumbo shells stuffed with a spinach-ricotta-parmesan mixture, topped with spaghetti sauce and cheese.
Ingredients
  • 12-oz. pkg. [url href=”http://www.barilla.com/” target=”_blank” title=”barilla”]Barilla[/url] jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 15-oz. cartons ricotta cheese
  • 10-oz. pkg. [url href=”http://www.greengiant.com/” target=”_blank” title=”green giant spinach”]Green Giant[/url] frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 8-oz. bags parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 45-oz. jar [url href=”http://www.prego.com/” target=”_blank” title=”prego spaghetti sauce”]Prego [/url]spaghetti sauce
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta shells according to package directions.
  2. Do not overcook or they will break apart easily. (I usually cook about 12 minutes).
  3. Drain in colander, spray with cold water to stop cooking process.
  4. Spoon shells onto large cutting board or waxed paper to cool.
  5. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the egg, ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 bag parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Spoon cheese mixture into shells.
  8. Place stuffed shells into sprayed 10×15” baking dish.
  9. You will have to layer some of the shells on top of others.
  10. Pour spaghetti sauce over top of shells.
  11. Sprinkle with remaining bag of parmesan cheese to cover surface area.
  12. Cover and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
Be careful not to overcook the noodles or cook them the full length of time according to the package directions. They will break apart easily unless they are cooked al dente or even a little less. They will finish cooking when the casserole bakes in the oven.
Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

If you enjoy pasta dishes, consider adding Stuffed Shells Florentine to your repertoire.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

You and your family will love Stuffed Shells Florentine.

Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese  & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

This cheesy pasta dish provides an explosion of textures and flavors. Bring it on!

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this #pasta dish is superb! #chicken, #pesto sauce, 3 #cheeses, mushrooms & seasonings make it the perfect entree for dinner. Our company raved over it!

Northern Italian Stuffed Shells

Northern Italian Stuffed Shells | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | tremendous #PaulaDeen #pasta #recipe that's out of this world! This one uses #beef, #spinach, both #creamcheese & #parmesancheese. Makes 2 large #casseroles so you can freeze one for later. #stuffedshells #Italian

Tortellini Spinach Casserole

Tortellini Spinach Casserole | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this delicious #pasta entree is incredibly mouthwatering. It's filled with #spinach, several kinds of #cheese & cheese #tortellini. It's terrific for #MeatlessMondays as well as company. #mushrooms #casserole
Stuffed Shells Florentine | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | We love this fantastic #pasta #recipe. Jumbo shells are stuffed with a #RicottaCheese, #ParmesanCheese & #spinach filling. Then they're baked with #SpaghettiSauce poured over top. More #parmesan is added before serving. Terrific for company too. #MeatlessMondays #StuffedShells

Stuffed Shells Florentine

Teresa Ambra
Stuffed Shells Florentine is one of our favorite pasta dishes. This lovely Meatless Monday dish is a wonderful Italian entree using jumbo shells stuffed with a spinach-ricotta-parmesan mixture, topped with spaghetti sauce and cheese. It's terrific for family or company dinners. Everyone always raves over it!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Pasta Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 15
Calories 341 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large stock pot with lid
  • 1 colander
  • waxed paper
  • 1 10×15" glass baking dish
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • aluminum foil

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz. pkg. jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 30 oz. ctns. ricotta cheese (two 15-ounce containers)
  • 10 oz. pkg. spinach frozen, chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 16 oz. bag Parmesan cheese shredded (two 8-ounce bags)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 45 oz. jar spaghetti sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta shells according to package directions.
  • Do not overcook or they will break apart easily. (I usually cook about 12 minutes).
  • Drain in colander, spray with cold water to stop cooking process.
  • Spoon shells onto large cutting board or waxed paper to cool.
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the egg, Ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 bag Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
  • Mix well.
  • Spoon cheese mixture into shells.
  • Place stuffed shells into sprayed 10×15” baking dish.
  • You will have to layer some of the shells on top of others.
  • Pour spaghetti sauce over top of shells.
  • Sprinkle with remaining bag of Parmesan cheese to cover surface area.
  • Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Notes

NOTE: Be careful not to overcook the noodles or cook them the full length of time according to the package directions. They will break apart easily unless they are cooked al dente or even a little less. They will finish cooking while the casserole bakes in the oven.
 
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 20gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1065mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2681IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 435mgIron: 2mg
Keyword main dish, parmesan cheese, pasta, spinach, stuffed shells
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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