Our family loves this veggie stuffed shells recipe with jumbo pasta shells and a simple ricotta and sautéed vegetable filling.
I’m always game for stuffed shells, and this version made with a cheese and vegetable filling is high on my list. If you’ve been following us for a while, you already know we like to tuck in fresh veggies whenever we can, and this veggie stuffed shells recipe is a great example of that.
The shells bake on top of a bed of marinara sauce until the cheese is bubbly and melted. It’s a keeper, for sure. If you love veggie-heavy pastas, like me, you may also enjoy this veggie spaghetti or our popular vegetable lasagna.
Key Ingredients
- Pasta Shells: I use large dried pasta shells and cook them in boiling water until al dente, then fill them. It’s a good idea to cook a few extra shells than you think you’ll need, as some might tear during boiling. Don’t worry about any leftover or broken shells (they make a tasty snack with extra cheese filling or marinara sauce). You can also swap the shells for manicotti shells or the crespelle we make in our homemade manicotti recipe.
- Vegetables: I love loading these stuffed shells with vegetables! My go-to combination is mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and garlic, sautéed until tender. Feel free to get creative and add your favorite vegetables or swap some out.
- Cheese: I use whole milk ricotta cheese and Parmesan for a rich and creamy filling. To finish the dish, I top the stuffed shells with mozzarella cheese for a delicious, melty topping. If you’re making vegetarian stuffed shells, omit the Parmesan cheese or use a vegetarian-friendly alternative.
- Herbs: To make these extra delicious, I mix in lots of fresh basil leaves and a bit of dried oregano.
- Marinara Sauce: You can use your favorite store-bought jarred pasta sauce or one of our homemade sauce recipes. Try this homemade marinara or this easy pasta sauce.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Veggie Stuffed Shells
Tip 1: Cook the shells until al dente. When making stuffed shells, you will need to boil jumbo shells in salted water first. They usually take 8 to 10 minutes. You are looking for them to be tender with a bit of a bite left, not super soft. Once you are happy with them, drain them so they are ready to fill.
Tip 2: Quickly cook the vegetables. While the shells boil, you can cook mushrooms in a wide, oven-safe skillet. Give them some space and let the first side brown (as we do in this video on how to cook mushrooms). Once the first side is golden brown, stir, then add bell peppers and cook until slightly softened. Finally, stir in a generous amount of spinach and cook until wilted. It all goes quickly and adds so much flavor to the filling.
Tip 3: Make the ricotta filling. Stir the ricotta cheese, fresh basil (yum), salt, pepper, oregano, and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano in a bowl. Then, fold in the sautéed veggies. (Remember: if you are making vegetarian stuffed shells, leave the Parmesan out.)
Tip 4: Prepare the baking dish. I love adding my sauce to the bottom of the baking dish instead of spreading it on top of the shells. This way, the tops of the shells get a little color and crisp up around the edges. By the way, if you use an oven-safe skillet for the vegetables, you can use the same pan for baking. Otherwise, a baking dish will work perfectly.
Tip 5: Stuff the shells and bake. Fill each cooked shell with a spoonful of the cheese and vegetable mixture, then nestle them into the marinara sauce. Top with cheese for a melty, golden top. Bake uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Serving Suggestions
Since there’s a nice assortment of vegetables stirred into the filling, you can view these stuffed shells as a standalone dinner, with no other dishes required. That said, if you’re feeling feisty, we do have several suggestions for what works nicely with them. First, a salad is always welcomed, and I love these shells with something simple like greens tossed in Italian dressing or simple Caesar.
You can always bump up the veggies on your plate, too. I love this with our roasted broccolini or roasted cabbage (both work nicely when swooped through the sauce). And, my son loves a side of garlic bread, which is also perfect for dipping into the sauce.
More Stuffed Shells Recipes
Veggie Stuffed Shells
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love these vegetable stuffed shells! If you have one, cook the vegetables in a wide oven-safe skillet. Then, bake the shells in the same pan. If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, bake the shells in a baking dish.
This filling is enough for about 16 shells. We recommend adding a couple of extra shells to the water, as you might find that one or more shells tear during cooking.
You Will Need
18 jumbo pasta shells
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced, about 2 cups sliced
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
5 ounces spinach leaves, about 4 cups packed (140g)
3 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
3 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese, about 1 cup
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or substitute 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups marinara sauce, try our homemade marinara sauce
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about 1/2 cup
Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Set aside a wide, oven-safe skillet, or if you do not have one, a wide skillet and a large baking dish.
2Cook the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking, then drain again.
3Cook the vegetables: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Spread the mushrooms into one layer. Cook, without moving, until browned on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir, then add the chopped bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers start to soften, about 2 minutes.
4Pile the spinach leaves into the pan and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Wait about 30 seconds or until the bottom layer of leaves has started to wilt, and then toss the leaves around the pan. As the spinach cooks, keep tossing so that all the leaves have a chance to hit the bottom of the skillet. When the spinach is bright green and mostly wilted, remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cool for a minute or two.
5Make ricotta filling: Combine ricotta, parmesan, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the vegetables and then taste the mixture. Adjust as needed with more salt or pepper.
6Make a bed of sauce: If using an oven-safe skillet, pour the marinara into the skillet. If your skillet is not oven-safe, add the marinara to a large baking dish instead.
7Fill the shells: Spoon 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each cooked shell, then nestle the filled shell down into the marinara sauce. If you have any cheese mixture left, divide it between the shells or enjoy it with any leftover shells as a cook’s snack.
8Bake: Slide the skillet (or baking dish) into the oven and bake, uncovered, until the shells are heated through and the cheese is melted on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep leftover shells with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.
- Make ahead tips: The shells can be stuffed and arranged in the baking dish or skillet and kept in the refrigerator (covered) for up to a day. You can also freeze them. Wrap them tightly with a layer (or two) of foil and freeze up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake. Or bake from frozen, but expect them to take a bit longer to heat all the way through.
- Store-bought sauce: One (28-ounce) jar of store-bought marinara sauce has about 3 cups.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I’ve made several of these, but since I am keto, I used the multicolor mini sweet peppers (I suppose you could use whole bell peppers cut in half) and stuffed them raw. Put them in the oven for about 30 minutes for a crisp pepper and then add the sauce and back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
That’s such a great idea, Terry! Thanks for sharing.
I don’t like Ricotta cheese, what type of cheese can i use instead of Ricotta? Love your recipes. Thank you
cottage cheese drain off the liquid or some of the Mexican Queso cheeses work.
Yep! Cottage cheese is a great suggestion.
Great recipe, we all loved it.
That’s amazing, Alma! Thank you for coming back.
Made this last night and it was delicious yum. I added a little bit of sausage to the vegetables to add more flavor. I am confused to when to use the garlic though. Thank you for all the recipes you shared with us. Your recipes are sooo yummy almost always.