Description
Cheesy Ground Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Shells is a comforting and hearty baked pasta dish filled with lean ground turkey, creamy ricotta, spinach, and topped with marinara and melty mozzarella. This stuffed shells recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep, offering the best of comfort and nutrition in one cheesy bite.
Ingredients
20 jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté diced onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add ground turkey, cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, ¾ cup mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, the turkey mixture, and one egg. Stir until well combined.
5. Spread a layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Stuff each shell with the filling and place in the dish.
6. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
8. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Use fresh or frozen spinach—just make sure it’s drained well.
Don’t overcook the pasta; slightly underdone is best for baking.
You can freeze the unbaked shells for later—just add extra bake time from frozen.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3–4 stuffed shells
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg