Cheesy Stuffed Shells are a mouthwatering dinner that both vegetarians and omnivores will love. 

Large al dente pasta shells are stuffed with a creamy spinach and cheese mixture. Layer the shells in a baking dish with marinara, top with more cheese, and bake the dish until bubbly. 

This comforting Italian dinner is super simple to make, with only six ingredients + seasonings. It’s perfect for an easy weeknight meal or a date night. Plus, the leftovers reheat wonderfully.

And honestly, you just can’t go wrong with a dish of gooey, melty cheese.

What are cheesy stuffed shells?

Introducing manicotti’s more dynamic sibling. 

Cheesy stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells that are filled with a ricotta/spinach mixture, nestled in a tangy marinara, and covered with mozzarella cheese. 

The shells hold in the filling better than manicotti (no filling squishing out the other end!). They also have a delicious, chewy texture.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells Ingredients

Jumbo shells

The best way to get cheese into your mouth. You’ll want to cook these for 1-2 minutes less because the pasta will cook a little in the oven. 

Ricotta cheese

Ricotta forms the creamy base of the cheese filling. 

Asiago cheese

I love that this cheese adds a decadent, nutty flavor that makes these stuffed shells stand out. You can buy shredded asiago cheese or buy a block of the cheese and shred it yourself. 

Frozen spinach

Frozen spinach is the easiest to use for this ricotta cheese mixture. Make sure to defrost it and squeeze all the extra liquid out before you add it to the filling. 

Seasonings

Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder are simple yet delicious.

Marinara sauce

Use your favorite marinara sauce for this recipe. Here’s my go-to!

Mozzarella cheese

Top this pasta dish off with some shredded mozzarella cheese before baking it, to make this dinner all sorts of melty and gooey.

How to Make Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Preheat the oven. 

Cook the jumbo shells to al dente according to package instructions. Make sure not to let the pasta get too soft or mushy. We need these shells to be firm — so they can hold all the deliciously cheesy filling! Drain and cool the pasta.

Prepare the ricotta cheese filling in a small bowl by combining the ricotta cheese, shredded asiago, spinach, and seasonings. Pour the marinara into the bottom of a baking dish.

Gently stuff the cooked shells with the filling and place them in the dish cheese side up. Continue until all the shells are stuffed. 

Spread the mozzarella cheese over the top and bake until bubbly and slightly golden brown.

Quick Tip

To get the cheese filling into the shells quickly, try using a large Ziplock bag.

Simply fill the bag with the cheese filling, cut a small corner off, and carefully pipe the cheese into the shells.

Easy cheesy. 

How to Serve Cheesy Pasta Shells

Serve cheesy stuffed shells with a salad (like this raspberry walnut salad), breadsticks, or super simple garlic bread to make a full meal.

Cheesy Pasta Shells Variations

Substitute parmesan for asiago. You’ll still end up with a nice, nutty flavor that complements the ricotta. 

Add more protein like ground beef, Italian sausage, or shredded chicken. Just make sure to cook the meat first. 

Pile on the veggies: sauteed mushrooms, cooked bell peppers…whatever you like best! 

Cheesy Stuffed Shells FAQs: