Large pasta shells, stuffed with ricotta, spinach, sausage, and more cheese, these spinach stuffed shells are a make-ahead/freezer cooking DREAM.
Packed full of flavor, this is a family-friendly, freezer-friendly, budget-friendly favorite!
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We LOVE sausage stuffed shells in our house, oftentimes we’ll just make this 3 Cheese Stuffed Shells recipe, but lately, we’ve been loving the extra “stuff” that goes into these. Sausage and spinach pack both a flavor AND nutrition punch. I particularly like them because I can make them ahead and keep in the refrigerator until I need dinner.
This is one I make pretty often when doing shells – because:
1) my kids snarf this like it’s their job,
2) it contains spinach, and if the kids are willingly eating it without me renaming it to something fun, I win, and
3) they’re just so darn GOOD I like to make two pans at a time (using just one box of the shells) so that there is a decent amount of leftovers, or one batch for the freezer.
Want some freezer-friendly recipes? Try this Easy Shepherd’s Pie, or my Chicken Taquitos!
Why this recipe works:
Make ahead: You can make these a few days or the night before you need a dish for dinner. This is also a great recipe to make and freeze (directions in the recipe card below).
Easy: You do not need a culinary degree to make these!
Delicious: We did add spinach so you can feel like you did your part in feeding your family vegetables. That is my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
If you find your shells getting too brown, to quickly, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 20 minute, then uncover for the last 10 mins.
Because the shells cook in the oven too, you don’t need to boil them until soft. Al dente (firm to the bite) is good.
Grab Italian Seasoning from the store, or make your own Italian Seasoning!
What do do with leftovers
Store, covered in the refrigerator and reheat til piping hot in microwave or oven.
Substitutions/Additions
- You could use ground beef instead of sausage in the mixture.
- Use your favorite brand of pasta sauce. Or make your own!
Freezing instructions
- In a foil or other disposable dish, follow the directions, but do n to bake.
- Cover with foil, label with “thaw, then bake 30 minutes at 350” or “from frozen cook 1 hour at 350 degrees F”
- Wrap plastic wrap over the foil, and freeze (I also put this in a ziploc)
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thaw, then bake per the directions.
- If cooking from frozen, cook for 1 hour.
Ingredients:
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
How to make Spinach Stuffed Shells:
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
Get prepared:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta shells to al dente according to package directions, drain and let cool. We want them to cool enough to handle when filling – so use a little cold water to speed up the process.
- Thaw the spinach and squeeze as much water as you can out of it.
Make the filling
- Cook the sausage over medium high heat in a large skillet until done, and in crumbles. Let it cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the frozen spinach, ricotta cheese, eggs, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, and seasonings.
- Add the cooled sausage crumbles and mix well.
Assembly and Baking
- Add a cup of the pasta sauce to the bottom of a large baking dish (or two smaller ones if you are freezing one).
- Fill the shells with the mixture, and place (filling side up) in the dish.
- Drizzle remaining marinara sauce over the shells.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, and serve.
- Devour.
Want more Easy Pasta Recipes?
Chili Mac with Turkey. We’re bringing childhood back! Lightened-up with turkey vs beef, and made in one pan – this one is a family favorite!
Skillet Mac & Cheese. Comfort food at its finest, this skillet mac & cheese is so easy! Just the skillet and a pasta pot, the and a quick broil, and this is ready FAST!
Florentine Chicken Lasagna Rolls Spinach, garlic, and cheese are all winners for this weeknight dinner! Delicious homemade Alfredo sauce is the key to these!
Ham Tetrazzini. A super-fast weeknight dinner, this Ham Tetrazzini is a spin on the traditional version and is sure to please the whole family.
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Sausage Spinach Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces large shells ((can sub manicotti tubes if you can’t find shells))
- 1 pound mild italian sausage
- 12 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed)
- 2 pound ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
- 24 ounces marinara sauce ((homemade or store-bought I’m not judging))
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan – you choose)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Cook 12 ounces large shells according to package directions, drain and let cool.
- In a large skillet, cook 1 pound mild italian sausage until done, and in crumbles. Let it cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the 12 ounces frozen spinach, 2 pound ricotta cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and salt and pepper
- Add the cooled sausage crumbles.
- Add a cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom of a large baking dish (or two smaller ones if you are freezing one).
- Fill the shells with the mixture, and place (filling side up) in the dish.
- Drizzle remaining marinara sauce over the shells.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, and serve.
- Devour.
Freezing directions
- In a foil or other disposable dish, complete to Step 8. Cover with foil, label with “thaw, then bake 30 minutes at 350℉” or “from frozen cook 1 hr at 350℉”
- Wrap plastic wrap over the foil, and freeze (I also put this in a ziploc)
- Freeze for up to 6 months.
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Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in Aril of 2016. It was republished with updated photos in October of 2020.
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