Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

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This vegetarian spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser! It’s also budget friendly coming in at $2.37 per person.

I love pasta and cheese, seriously; cheese might be my love language. What I love about this spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe is that it is super versatile! We love it with tomato sauce, but you could easily use jarred or homemade alfredo sauce as the base instead.

If you’d like some extra protein, you can always add some shredded chicken breast or diced and sauteed italian sausage to the ricotta cheese mixture. Possibilities are endless!

You can also make this in advance and put it in the fridge until you are bake it. Meaning you can meal prep in the morning or evening before, then you’ll have dinner ready in 20-30 minutes!

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Ingredients  & Cost

As always, we focus on budget friendly recipes here at Will Save For Travel, and this one comes out at $2.37 per person.

Serves 4

20 jumbo shells $1.62
10 oz frozen spinach or handfuls of fresh* $1.87
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese $2.61
1 tablespoon oil $0.04
1 small onion, diced $0.30
2 cloves garlic $0.08
2 cups crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce $1.49
1 teaspoon oregano $0.07
1 teaspoon thyme $0.04
1 teaspoon rosemary $0.02
1 ½ – 2 cups mozzarella cheese $1.33
TOTAL: $9.47 = $2.37per person

*Note: I usually use fresh spinach, but I don’t measure! I just add a couple of handfuls to the pan and wilt it down. You can use as much or as little as you want. For simplicity, the price is for 10oz of frozen spinach.

Read More: How We Save Money On Groceries Without Coupons

Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Perfect for meatless Monday, this vegetarian spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser! It’s also budget friendly coming in at $2.37 per person.

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Ingredients

• 20 jumbo shells
• 10 oz frozen spinach or handfuls of fresh*
• 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 ½ - 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Cook the shells in boiling water according to the box instructions. Usually 10 minutes.
2. Mix ricotta cheese with the thawed spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. If using fresh spinach, cook the spinach in a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil until wilted.
3. For the sauce, saute the diced onions in the oil until soft, add the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the tomato sauce and herbs, cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
5. Stuff the cooked and drained shells with about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture. Place the stuffed shells in the pan on top of the tomato sauce.
6. Top with mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 375-400 for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
8. Enjoy!
   
   

Notes

* I usually use fresh spinach, but I don’t measure! I just add a couple of handfuls to the pan and wilt it down. You can use as much or as little as you want.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1331Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1063mgCarbohydrates: 186gFiber: 16gSugar: 12gProtein: 65g

Final Thoughts

Let us know if you make this recipe! I would love to know what you add to it to make it perfect for you and your family.