Pesto Stuffed Shells

Easy Pesto Stuffed Shells with a lemony ricotta & spinach filling and topped with lots of bubbly mozzarella cheese. Ready in 40 min!

These Pesto Stuffed Shells are an easy, comforting weeknight dinner that come together in just about 40 minutes. Jumbo shells are filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta brightened with lemon, plus spinach, parmesan, mozzarella, and a swirl of pesto for extra flavor. They’re finished with more pesto and mozzarella on top before baking until everything is golden, bubbly, and irresistible.

Not only do these shells make a perfect cozy meal after a busy day, but they’re also freezer-friendly, so you can prep them ahead of time and simply pop them in the oven whenever you need a quick dinner. It’s a versatile dish that feels special enough for guests yet is simple enough for weeknights—cheesy, hearty, and loaded with herby pesto goodness.

If you like these easy dinners, you’ll love my Spicy Tomato Garlic Confit Pasta and my Boursin Pasta Bake with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes

Storage & Make Ahead

You can make these Pesto Stuffed Shells ahead of time and freeze. Cook and stuff shells, cover in shredded mozzarella and then tightly wrap in foil. To thaw, transfer the dish to the fridge about 10 hours before you plan to serve (i.e. the morning that you plan to serve them for dinner). Remove from the fridge and let sit at room temp while the oven preheats. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, or until thawed and warmed through.

• Dinner

Pesto Stuffed Shells

Easy Pesto Stuffed Shells with a lemony ricotta & spinach filling and topped with lots of bubbly mozzarella cheese. Ready in 40 min!

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Ingredients

Ricotta filling:

• ▢ 15 oz ricotta
• ▢ 1/3 cup pecorino romano
• ▢ 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• ▢ 1/2 cup cooked spinach See note
• ▢ Zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ 2 tbsp homemade or store bought pesto See note
• ▢ Sea salt
• ▢ Pepper

The rest:

• ▢ 1/2 lb large pasta shells cooked according to package instructions until al dente
• ▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ▢ 2 tbsp homemade or store bought pesto See note
• ▢ Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook the pasta. Drain. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish and place the shells open side up.
• Combine filling ingredients until creamy and combined. Stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture.
• Top with shredded mozzarella, and drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp of pesto. Bake for 20-25 min. I like to broil for the last 2-3 min to ensure everything is all browned and bubbly. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note: You can use frozen spinach, or blanch/saute fresh spinach for 1-2 minutes. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze out excess water before adding to the filling.

Note: My homemade pesto recipe is HERE

Freezer prep ahead: You can make these Pesto Stuffed Shells ahead of time and freeze. Cook pasta and stuff shells, cover in shredded mozzarella and then tightly wrap in foil. To thaw, transfer the dish to the fridge about 10 hours before you plan to serve (i.e. the morning that you plan to serve them for dinner). Remove from the fridge and let sit at room temp while the oven preheats to 350. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, or until thawed and warmed through. Broil for 3-5 min at the end to get the top even more browned and bubbly. Enjoy!