we’ve all heard about stuffed shells.
we’ve all heard about spinach-stuffed shells.
BUT. let me tell you a secret. . .
the best stuffed shells are those that are stuffed with roasted broccoli!
the baby trees broccoli is roasted with olive oil + tons of garlic. then given a rough chop + folded into a dreamy creamy ricotta + italian blend cheese stuffing.
a hint of roast, a garlicky green bite + smooooooth cheese all wrapped in a pasta hug.
folks. that’s some real pasta magic! but, please, don’t take my word for it. . you’ve got to make these for yourself!
another fun thing to mention about stuffed shells, is how fricken easy they are!
i totally forgot! err maybe i never actually knew.
either way. stuffed shells are easy, they’re crazy tasty AND since they’re in cute little shell-shaped portions, you don’t have to experience that awkward ‘i just ate the whole tray of lasagna without noticing’ situation.
never happened to you? well, this time take my word for it. it’s a real life carb struggle.
last little memo:
these stuffed shells are a killer make-ahead or hosting dish!
stuff ‘em, gather some adorable oven-safe personal-sized dishes + portion ’em out.
when company arrives, or dinner is just about 30 minutes out, pop ‘em in a preheated oven + voila! company will be totally impressed!
- 3 cups broccoli florets {about 2 medium-sized heads}
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 16oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup italian blend cheese, shredded
- ½ cup parmesan, grated
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt + pepper, to taste
- 26oz marinara sauce {your favorite store-bought or homemade!}
- preheat the oven to 350º.
- lline a baking sheet with foil + spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- toss the broccoli florets with olive oil, minced garlic, salt + pepper.
- spread the florets on the baking sheet + roast for 25 minutes or until slightly brown + charred!
- remove the florets from the oven + give them a rough chop. set aside.
- bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- while the water comes to a boil, mix up your filling. combine the ricotta, italian blend + parmesan in a large mixing bowl. season the mixture with cayenne, salt + pepper. fold in your roasted broccoli. set aside.
- once boiling, season the water thoroughly {you want it to taste like the sea!} with salt.
- add in the pasta shells + boil until just al dente.
- once the pasta is done, drain the water, reserving ½ cup of water to the side.
- pour + evenly spread 1 cup of marinara on the bottom of a baking dish.
- stuff each shell with your broccoli-cheese mixture + lay it on top of the marinara layer in your baking dish. repeat with all of your shells!
- mix the reserved pasta water with 1 cup of marinara + pour it over the stuffed shells.
- cover the baking dish with foil + bake for 20 minutes at 350º. then, uncover + bake for 10 more minutes or until bubbly!
- serve + enjoy!
looking to invite meat to the shell party? cooked, crumbled + drained italian sausage {mild/hot/chicken/pork} would be great folded into the stuffing mix! cooked + shredded chicken would also be a great protein add as well!
look for opportunities in the cheeses to drop cals – low-fat ricotta instead of whole milk as well as skim on the shredded! another great way is to increase your broccoli-to-cheese ratio then overstuff the shells so that you have less pasta + more {overflowing!} stuffing!
these keep wonderfully! i like to store my stuffed shells separate from the sauce + then when reheating simply pour the marinara down in a baking dish + bake for the time mentioned in the recipe! but they will reheat -as combined aka true leftovers- in a microwave.
huge shout out to the blog, the vintage mixer! my recipe here is slightly adapted from the version i came across on her amazing site!
check out my video process from my snapchat the day i whipped these up!
{don’t forget to follow me for real time updates @kellymaurine}
join along as kelly posts, pins + peruses for inspiration in her ambitious kitchen!
YUMMYYYYYY!