Festive Christmas Stuffed Pasta (Printable Version)
Jumbo shells filled with ricotta, spinach, cranberries and nutmeg, baked in rich tomato sauce for a festive main.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta & Filling
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
02 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
04 - 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Sauce
12 - 2 cups tomato passata or marinara sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
18 - Fresh basil leaves
19 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
02 - Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and arrange on a kitchen towel to cool evenly.
03 - In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened. Stir in tomato passata or marinara sauce, red pepper flakes if using, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, dried cranberries, egg, ground nutmeg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
05 - Spread half the sauce evenly on the bottom of a large ovenproof baking dish.
06 - Using a spoon, carefully fill each cooked pasta shell with the ricotta mixture. Arrange stuffed shells closely together in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the filled shells. Generously sprinkle extra grated Parmesan on top.
08 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
09 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You can assemble the whole dish ahead of time, which makes hosting feel almost too easy.
- The sweet cranberries tucked in with the creamy ricotta are the twist that nobody expects but everyone talks about.
02 -
- If you overcook the shells, they'll tear when stuffing and break your heart a little bit.
- Letting the filling sit for five minutes makes it easier to spoon, and the flavors meld beautifully while you wait.
03 -
- Undercook the pasta by one minute to ensure it stays firm while baking.
- Shred your own mozzarella and Parmesan for creamier, meltier layers—bagged cheese dries out more quickly.