You know what I love, food!
More importantly, if I can have great food that tastes delicious and isn’t going to put me over my maximum calorie intake for the day, I am even happier!
That is this veggie stuffed shells dish! They are loaded with flavor and you guessed it, veggies!! This is a great combination of fresh zucchini, spinach, and carrots. The veggies are diced and lightly sautéed and then added into the low-fat cheese combination. Oh my gosh, I am getting hungry just thinking about this one! The veggie cheese filling is so good and even my non-veggie family members have no idea they are eating vegetables! SSSHHH, I won’t tell, if you won’t tell, and they will never know!
Everyday tip: This is a great dish to make as a double batch because both the veggie stuffed shells and the marinara sauce freeze really well. So we have a stuffed shells dish for dinner and another in the freezer ready for one of those many crazy days when we don’t have time to make dinner!
I literally could live on cheese, of any variety, but there is something wonderful about ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan! I know you are thinking, holy fattening, but my motto always is, everything in moderation! I use low-fat ricotta cheese and mozzarella, so we are still eating a delicious and tasty meal but reducing fat and calories by using the low-fat cheeses! Then adding in parmesan cheese and the veggies, which really round out the dish and makes this a yummo meal! I find one veggie stuffed shell and a salad will fill me up, and I am content and ready for a nap when I am finished :)! My family, a different story, my boys can eat at least 3 each!
I hope you like this recipe, and if so, please share the love on Facebook, Pinterest, or your favorite way of relating to your friends and family, and please continue connecting with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Bloglovin, Google Plus !
Thank you for always sharing my passion and love for food and family!
xo!
Veggie Stuffed Shells
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
Stuffed Veggie Shells
- 28 oz marinara sauce see below
- 1/2 box jumbo pasta shells about 24 shells
- 1 Tbls olive oil
- 1 small minced shallot
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 15 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
- 8 oz low-fat grated mozzarella cheese,divided
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Marinara Sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion,diced
- 2 cloves finely minced garlic
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp ground fennel seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Veggie Stuffed Shells
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Cook the pasta shells according to package. I generally deduct 3 minutes from cook time, because the shells cook further in the oven.
- While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the shallots for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, add in garlic for a few seconds.
- Add the diced zucchini and carrot, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook down for about a minute. Set the veggie mixture aside to cool while preparing the cheese mixture.
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 4 oz. grated mozzarella, parmesan cheese, egg, dried parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Add in the veggie mix, combine well.
- To assemble, in a 9x12 casserole dish, spread 1/2 the marinara sauce in bottom of casserole dish.
- Spoon the cheese mixture into each shell and place open side up in the casserole dish.
- Cover shells with remaining Marinara Sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 4 oz. of grated mozzarella cheese over the shells.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Sauce should be bubbling and cheese all melted. Serve immediately.
Marinara Sauce
- Heat the oil in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add the diced onion and stir occasionally for about 2 minutes, add the minced garlic. Stir together until garlic is golden, careful not to burn garlic. Only a few seconds is necessary.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried parsley, ground fennel seed, bay leaf, fresh chopped basil, and salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 35 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Use for Veggie Stuffed Shells.
Oh I’m definitely pinning this for later! This would be a perfect way to sneak those veggies in my son’s diet, and the cheese OMG! I LOVE cheese so I know I would love this meal! Thanks for sharing!!!! 🙂
You are very welcome! I hope you and your family enjoy!
I think I am going to have to make this for my next girls night!
You had me at stuffed. I’m seriously obsessed with all things cheese. So putting cheese inside, ontop and around pasta = MY FAVORITE MEAL EVER.
Thank you Nikki! I ope you enjoy
My husband loves meat but I bet he would love this more! Yum!
Oh my! How delicious!! A smart way to get some veggies in!
My husband is a vegetarian and i am going to try this for sure 🙂
This looks utterly delicious! And now i’m ready to eat lol
Thank you, I hope you give these a whirl!They are quite delicious!
I’m super picky with what I eat (yes!!!) but from the looks of it, I think I’ll love this one. Now I’m starving — and it’s just past midnight here. Argggh.
Thank you Pam! I hope you give these a try, yummy!
Sounds yummy and great way to get some veggies in.
Wow, this is just so awesomely delicious. I could grab it right of the screen and eat it
Thank you very much!
This looks delicious and I love that its packed with veggies! Thanks for the new recipe to try!
Brittany
http://www.BeckyandBrittany.com
I think this dish looks delicious. I would love to make it since I am a fan of veggies. I don’t know why I haven’t added vegetables more to my pasta dishes.
I do hope you enjoy and let me know how you enjoyed!
These look delicious. I love all the ingredients and I’m sure they are even better combined.
Thank you Miriam, I love it too!
OMG – I’ve got to make these for my kids. They need more veggies in their lives.
I hope your kids enjoy this meal, Michelle! We love it and the kids forget there is even veggies inside
My mouth is watering! I literally add this to the dinner menu for next week.
I am so glad, I hope your family enjoys! Let me know how it goes!
This looks delish! I will have to try this for my family. My kids would like this too!
If I knew how to get my son to eat this I would make it. Looks good!
Don’t tell him there are veggies inside 🙂
These look delicious! I love all the added vegetables!
Thank you so much – the veggies are my favorite addition!
These look yummy
Thank you so much
These look good. I pinned it so I can save it and make it later.
Great, I hope you enjoy!
These look delicious. Going to save them to my pinterest meatless monday board – thanks for sharing 🙂
Great, I hope you ejoy making these stuffed shells. let me know how they turn out for your meatless monday
These look incredible! I love all things pasta <3
Yes, me too!
YUm! Yum! Yummy!!! I love anything pasta and this one sure looks very delicious!
Thank you – it really is tasty
This recipe looks delicious. I love pasta and I love veggies.. My kids and husband will enjoy this recipe too
I hope your family enjoys!
Oh my, this looks so tempting! I love your site.
Thank you so very much! These are really good 🙂
That looks divine! I love that veggies were used for stuffing. I will try this.
This looks like a great meal! My kids love stuffed shells.
Thank you – I hope you enjoy!
That looks absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try this.
I hope you enjoy, they are tasty. Let me know how you liked the recipe
Thank you for a great vegetarian dish. My daughter will love this!
Thank you Tammy, I hope your daughter enjoys!
I think I’m going to request my fiance to make these for me this weekend! (he’s a better cook than me haha)
Well good for you to have someone prepare this for you 🙂
These look amazing! I need them for dinner!
I hope you make them, they are truly yummy!
I’ve always done spinach, but I like the idea of using other veggies. I’ll have to try this!
I love spinach too – but this is a nice change
This recipe looks so yummy!
OMG that looks delicious. I love almost anything with ricotta cheese.
These look so goood!!! I’m dying to try them, I might make them as a surprise for my husband, he’s picky but something tells me with the sauce and cheese, he might just LOVE these! 🙂 Saved on pinterest! added you there too, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Nora, I hope you try them and your husband gives them a thumbs up :)!
This looks like a great meal that my family would love. I might have to try it this weekend!
I hope you give it a try!
you are killin me with this. pasta is my weakness. this looks amazing!!!
This i tasty but also low in calories and fat – so enjoy a shell:)!
Those look really, really good! Adding! 🙂
Thank you Claudette, I hope you enjoy
I love stuffed shells! One of my fav meals! 🙂 I’ll have to give this one a go! LifeAsLex
I hope you enjoy!
I’m sharing this with my mom! She loves veggie recipes 🙂
I hope you and your Mom enjoy, remember they are low-fat too!
These stuffed shells sound really good! I love that they have sauteed veggies in them Yum! I am going to feature them on our kid- friendly meal plan this week. A great way to get some more veggies in the kids without them seeing all veggies.
I am glad you will be sharing this on your meal plan. Any way to keep the veggies in our diets and the calories low – I am happy!
Yum-O! I keep saying I’m going to make stuffed shells, but I just never get around to it…
This is a g=really tasty stuffed shell dish and easy to prepare
Looks delicious! i can’t wait to try this and i want this for Christmas eve.
this looks amazing & is making me hungry again! 😉
Thank you Laura, I hope you make it!
This one looks so good that I am tempted to make it right now. Instead I am saving this recipe. I know my kids are going to love it.
That is great- let me know how you liked these! I love the veggie cheese combo
I would love to try this recipe. I love baked pasta and a new recipe is always, always welcome!
Great, I hope you try these!
Oh my those look delish! My husband would LOVE these!
Thank you Roxanne!
My boys love spinach and ricotta stuffed shells. I like how you’ve snuck some more veggies in these. Pinned to try out this recipe. Thanks!
Thank you Tanya – I know – sneaking in those veggies any way we can!
I love new vegetable recipes
That looks so yummy. I love making pasta dishes.
We love stuffed shells! This recipe looks fantastic! I’ll have to give it a try!
I hope you do – and enjoy!
Stuffed shells are so yummy! I love all those veggies you have managed to get into yours. My family usually enjoys them with hamburger and olives but I think I could try for a few more veggies in them.
That is great – I hope they enjoy it, and you can be flexible with your veggies!
Yum yum! Those look amazing! Im definitely going to be trying this out!
I hope you make this one and enjoy, we love these stuffed shells
i love veggie recipes
This looks amazing! I’m going to see if I can print the recipe and add it to my recipe book. Looks great for winter (and yes,k we have winter in the desert). I love the idea of making a double batch!
I hope you print it, make ot, and let me know how you liked it !
That looks so yummy! A perfect comfort food for the Fall/Winter season!
Yup, this one really warms me up!
I love making stuffed shells. And people are always so impressed – as if you’ve been slaving away all day.
I know, don’t tell them our secret ! 🙂
Oh I am pinning this! I love stuffed shells
That is great Cynthia, I hope you let me know when you make them. Tjhey are one of my favorites
What a great recipe idea love the sound of that particularly since I am a vegetarian.
I hope you enjoy it- its really delicous
Those sound so yum! I can’t wait to make these.
We love it!