Sausage, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 552.0
  • Total Fat: 25.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 84.0 mg
  • Sodium: 1,372.8 mg
  • Total Carbs: 51.8 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.9 g
  • Protein: 21.1 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Sausage, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells calories by ingredient


Introduction

This recipe for sausage, spinach and cheese-stuffed shells makes enough to fill two baking dishes, each with four servings. Assemble both, then cook one for now and freeze the other for later.

This recipe for sausage, spinach and cheese-stuffed shells makes enough to fill two baking dishes, each with four servings. Assemble both, then cook one for now and freeze the other for later.


Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

    1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
    1 pound sweet Italian sausage
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    1 large egg
    1 (16-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
    1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1 teaspoon dried basil
    1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 (32-ounce) jar pasta sauce (4 cups)

Directions

If serving immediately, heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no traces of pink remain, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg. Add ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, dried basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and the reserved sausage mixture.

Spread 1/2 cup of pasta sauce over the bottom of each of two 9-by-13-inch or similarly sized shallow baking dishes.
(Use disposable foil pans)
Fill each of the reserved shells with some of the sausage and ricotta filling.

Arrange half of the shells in each of the baking dishes, then spread half of the remaining pasta sauce over each dish of shells. Cover pans with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

Uncover and sprinkle each dish with 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.

One or both baking dishes can be frozen for up to 4 months. The dishes should be covered tightly with foil and plastic wrap before freezing. When ready to serve, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap (leaving the foil) and bake directly from the freezer for 1 hour, or until hot and bubbling. Uncover and sprinkle each dish with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.



Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KENGILLETTE.