Festive Christmas Stuffed Pasta (Print Layout)
Colorful jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and cranberries, baked in savory tomato sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta & Filling
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
02 - 2 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
04 - 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
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 of red pepper flakes
17 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
18 - Fresh basil leaves
19 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Cook the pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente; drain and set aside on a kitchen towel to cool.
03 - In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened. Add passata or marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped cranberries, egg, nutmeg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
05 - Spread half the tomato sauce on the bottom of a large ovenproof baking dish.
06 - Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture using a spoon. Arrange the filled shells in the dish.
07 - Pour remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle extra Parmesan on top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
10 - Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tart cranberries tucked into creamy ricotta create this perfect sweet-savory moment that feels like Christmas on a fork
- It comes together faster than you would think, leaving you more time for wrapping presents or sipping wine by the tree
02 -
- Overcook the pasta shells now and they will turn to mush in the oven, so pull them while they still have some bite
- Letting the ricotta drain for 15 minutes prevents a watery filling that will make your shells soggy
03 -
- Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to fill shells quickly and neatly
- Position your shells tightly in the dish so they help support each other while baking