Sausage Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells combine savory sausage, fresh greens, and creamy cheese in a hearty pasta dish that's simple to prepare and beautiful to look at. Whether for a family meal or a special occasion, these make-ahead stuffed shells is comfort food at its best, guaranteed to impress and satisfy.
Easy to make weeknight one pot pasta dish! Prepare these easy cheesy stuffed shells ahead of time and simply pop them in the oven. I think there's nothing better than having a restaurant quality pasta dish on the table within minutes!
Why you'll love it
This Italian stuffed shell recipe brings together all classic Italian cooking ingredients. Each jumbo pasta shell is generously filled with this savory pork sausage, ricotta cheese and fresh spinach, then baked in a delicious tomato sauce (pick your favorite kind) and topped with freshly grated Parmesan.
It's a sure crowd-pleasing recipe for family dinners or gatherings that uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients and is perfect for freezing and reheating without losing flavor.
Ingredients for sausage spinach stuffed shells recipe
- Jumbo pasta shells: Cooked al dente to hold the filling while staying tender.
- Italian pork sausage: Seasoned and browned for rich, savory flavor.
- Fresh spinach: Adds color, nutrition, and freshness to the filling.
- Ricotta cheese: Creamy base for the filling mixture.
- Diced tomatoes or tomato sauce: Adds a subtle tang and moisture.
- Garlic and seasonings: For depth and aromatic warmth.
- Parmesan cheese: For a salty, nutty finish and texture on pasta.
How to make stuffed ricotta shells
This is an overview of the recipe steps with photos. The printable recipe follows below.
1. Prepare the Pasta Shells
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for about 10 minutes, or according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and spread the shells on a baking sheet to cool, ensuring they don't stick together.
2. Brown the Sausage
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian pork sausage until browned and crumbly, about 8-10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces. Drain excess fat if needed.
3. Cook Spinach and Combine Filling
Add minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and fresh spinach to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the liquid reduces slightly.
4. Add Ricotta
Remove from heat and stir in the ricotta cheese. Season the filling with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Stuff the Shells
Spoon approximately one heaping tablespoon of the sausage-spinach-ricotta filling into each pasta shell, arranging each filled shell on the baking sheet or directly into your baking dish.
5. Assemble and Bake
Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the stuffed shells in a single layer, then spoon remaining tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle generously with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the cheese.
Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells with Sausage and Spinach
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Ingredients
- 20 pasta shells (jumbo)
- 1 pound pork sausage (casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 4 ounces ricotta cheese (about ½ cup)
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded (more, if desired)
- Parsley optional for decoration
Instructions
Cook pasta shells
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta shells then follow package directions for cooking the shells (I cooked mine for 10 minutes).
- Drain, and then rinse the shells with cold water. Set aside on a baking sheet.
Make ricotta stuffing
- Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
- As the sausage cooks, use a wooden spoon to break the sausage up into small pieces in the pan.
- Stir in the garlic, canned tomatoes and spinach. Cook until heated through and liquid reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat then stir in the ricotta cheese. Taste for seasoning then adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the shells
- Each shell is stuffed with a heaping tablespoon of the filling. You can stuff them on the baking sheet and then transfer them back to the pan to reheat.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells and reheat for 5 minutes.
- They are ready to serve as is, sprinkled lightly with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Reheat and serve
- Preheat oven to 375F, arrange the shells into the baking dish, sprinkle with LOTS of Parmesan cheese and bake for 25 minutes
- (reheating in the oven is the preferred way to reheat these shells if making them in advance - just make sure to sprinkle generously with Parmesan).
FAQs and Expert Tips
- Can I substitute cream cheese for ricotta? Yes, cream cheese can be used, though ricotta provides a lighter, fluffier texture.
- What type of sausage is best? Mild or spicy Italian sausage works well depending on your heat preference.
- Avoid watery fillings: Be sure to drain cooked spinach or squeeze out excess moisture to prevent soggy shells.
- Can I add other veggies? Mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini make excellent additions for variety.
Equipment you'll need
Make sure to use a good heavy skillet here, such as cast iron and make sure it's a large one too. I used this 12 inch Lodge Cast Iron Skillet - it never sticks or leaves weird black dots like other cast iron skillets do.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Tips
- Prepare stuffed shells ahead of time, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
- For freezing, place filled shells on a baking sheet individually and freeze until solid. Doing so will keep them from sticking to each other. Once frozen, shells can be transferred into a zip lock bag for longer storage.
- To reheat frozen stuffed shells, bake covered with foil at 375°F for about 25 minutes. Take them out sprinkle with LOTS of Parmesan cheese and bake for 10 minutes more until heated through.
More Italian style pasta dishes
- Chicken Pasta in Creamy White Wine Parmesan Cheese Sauce
- Creamy Chicken Pasta in Mozzarella Cheese Wine Sauce
- Baked Ziti with Sausage, Broccoli and Spinach
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Kay says
I made this for dinner for the two of us tonight. It was really quick and easy, and absolutely delicious. Made pretty much by the recipe but added some tomato paste. Company grade! Did I say quick and easy? Didn't require a lot of ingredients.
Olya says
This review truly made my difficult day, Kay! And thank you so much for your 5-star rating!
Olga says
I had to use extra ricotta because the filling was still too liquidy.
But then it came out good and was yummy!
Olya says
Good save on the liquid issue!
Karen says
Tried the recipe with sausage family liked it, I had made a similar one except I use pancetta and add a pinch of fresh nutmeg in the seasoning
Marie says
Do you have to prepare the ricotta?
Jane says
Can you replace the ricotta with cream cheese?
Olya says
Yes, you can.
Mafcia says
I'm not crazy about diced tomatoes any suggestions for a substitute ? Pasta sauce too thick, I have mushroom bruschetta from our local mushroom farm that has tomato in it or any idea how to mush the diced tomstoe. Sound yummy and will be making this as soon as I get all ingrediants
Olga says
Mushroom bruschetta sounds good, you can also use pasta sauce instead.