You’ve got 99 problems, but this dish ain’t one.
On really busy days, it can be a challenge just to get dinner on the table. All afternoon, you’re out and about – working, running errands, ferrying kids to and from activities. By the time you get home, you’re already exhausted and hungry. The last thing you want to do is spend another hour cooking.
What you really need on days like that is a meal that you can set up ahead of time, so it will be ready when you need it. And ideally, it should also be a meal that everyone likes, so you don’t have to add to your stress with arguments at the dinner table. And here it is: Crockpot Stuffed Shells.
This is a dinner that your whole family can love. Those big pasta shells stuffed with cheese and spinach and oozing with zesty red sauce will please everyone, from picky kids to vegetarian adults. And you’ll be especially pleased, because all the actual work for this dish — cooking and stuffing the shells and loading them into the Crockpot — happens in the morning. When you’re ready to eat, all you have to do is dish it up. Life can get complicated. Dinner shouldn’t have to be.
How to make Crockpot Stuffed Shells
- Cook your pasta shells al dente according to the package. While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, shredded cheese, seasoning and spinach.
- Stuff the pasta shells with the ricotta blend.
- Pour spaghetti sauce so that it covers the bottom of the crock pot. Layer the stuffed shells on top of the sauce. Spoon more spaghetti sauce over the new layer of shells and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
- Spoon more spaghetti sauce over the new layer of shells. Continue to layer till you have used all of your shells. Top with ½ cup of shredded cheese. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, LOW for 6-8.
- In the last 15 minutes top with the last ½ cup of cheese and fresh parsley.
The recipe says to cook the shells “al dente.” What does that mean, exactly?
- It’s Italian for “to the tooth.” What it means is that the pasta should be soft enough to bite into, but still firm enough in the center to resist slightly as you push your teeth through it. The shells for this need to be cooked al dente so they’re soft enough to stuff, but not so soft that they turn mushy or fall apart after up to 8 hours in the Crockpot.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
- You can, but you have to cook it, drain it, and squeeze out the liquid before mixing it with the ricotta. Using fresh spinach is quite a bit easier.
Can I use other veggies besides spinach?
- Yes, but you need to cook them first so they don’t add too much moisture to the dish. Mushrooms, peppers, and chopped broccoli are all good. You can use them in place of the spinach or in addition to it.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
- Yep! Let them cool completely, then transfer each shell to a foil pan. Pour the sauce over top, cover it, and freeze it. They’ll keep for up to four months and you can pop the pan straight in the oven when you’re ready to use them.
- Don’t forget, you can also pack up leftovers for lunch the next day too! We love packing our leftovers in EasyLunchboxes!
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Crockpot Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 oz Jumbo pasta Shells
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2.5 cups of Italian blended shredded cheese divided
- 1 1/2 TBSP Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup of chopped fresh spinach
- 1-32 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
- Optional: fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Cook your pasta shells al dente according to the package.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, 1 cup shredded cheese, seasoning and spinach.
- Stuff the pasta shells with the ricotta blend.
- Pour spaghetti sauce so that it covers the bottom of the crock pot. Layer the stuffed shells on top of the sauce. Spoon more spaghetti sauce over the new layer of shells and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
- Continue to layer till you have used all of your shells. Top with ½ cup of shredded cheese. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, low for 6-8.
- In the last 15 minutes top with the last ½ cup of cheese and fresh parsley.
Recipe Notes:
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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