Pesto Stuffed Shells with Vodka Sauce
Pesto Stuffed Shells with Vodka Sauce is an impressive, yet super simple meatless dinner. This stuffed shells recipe is the easy, cheesy comfort food your dinner table has been missing!
Servings: 6
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- 13x9-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 24 to 26 Jumbo pasta shells
- 2 1/2 cups DeLallo Pomodoro Creamy Vodka Sauce
- 1 lb. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 (16-oz.) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup DeLallo Simply Pesto
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh torn basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.Boil shells in a large pot of generously salted water until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of vodka sauce in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Meanwhile, place spinach in a clean kitchen towel and ring out excess moisture. Transfer spinach to a large mixing bowl, and add ricotta, pesto, Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon zest, and chili flakes. Mix well to combine.
- Fill each pasta shell with ~1.5- to 2-Tablespoons of the ricotta mixture and arrange in prepared baking dish, ensuring the filling is divided evenly. Spoon remaining 1 cup vodka sauce overtop, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh torn basil, if desired.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can completely assemble the shells and store them in the fridge up to 2 days in advance. If baking from chilled, add an extra 15 minutes of cooking time.
- Store: Refrigerate leftover shells for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: These shells are best reheated in the oven. They'll need about 15 to 20 minutes at 350ºF. Alternatively, you can rewarm individual portions in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 4shells | Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 710mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g