Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

4.89 from 34 votes

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Ricotta Stuffed Shells with spinach and mozzarella create a restaurant-worthy dinner. Impressive enough for entertaining, and make-ahead friendly.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Main Entree

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

Large skillet
Stock pot or Dutch oven
3-quart baking dish (such as 9x13)

Ingredients

23 to 26 jumbo pasta shells
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp. cracked black pepper, divided
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3/4 cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
1 (16-oz.) bag frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups (16-oz.) whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest (or the zest of 1 whole lemon)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, and transfer shells to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add shallots and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, until soft.
Stir in broth, half-and-half or heavy cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer. Gently simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens. (The sauce may still be thin, however it will continue to reduce while the shells bake.)
Place thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Place spinach in a large mixing bowl along with ricotta, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and black pepper; mix well to combine.
Fill each cooked pasta shell with ricotta mixture.
Pour half of the sun-dried tomato sauce into a 3-quart baking dish (such as a 9x13). Arrange stuffed shells over the sauce, and spoon remaining sauce overtop. Scatter with mozzarella cheese.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 15 more minutes. Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: The whole dish can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. Just cover tightly with foil and remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking.
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Place in oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350ºF until the shells are warm. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.

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