My sister and her family came over the other day to watch the Bears game (OK, and to celebrate her birthday). Instead of the usual breakfast-for-lunch menu my wife suggested we make something a little tastier. After spouting menu suggestions like guesses in a game of Pictionary we agreed on a stuffed shells recipe with spinach and ricotta.

Why? Because my sister is a vegetarian who likes lasagna. I thought…I know, but this stuffed shells recipe gives you all the lasagna flavor without the lasagna effort. And if you trust me enough to make ’em I’ll show you what to do.

Before you begin you’re going to need a few things. Get ’em and proceed to the good part.

A Few Things

1 lb fresh spinach

1/2 lb whole milk mozzarella, shredded

1/2 lb whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Dash of salt and pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

20 large pasta shells

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

The Good Part

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Wash and drain the spinach, and remove the stems. Then cover and cook the spinach until it flattens out (or as the fancy chef’s say “cooks down”). Drain and cool, then squeeze and chop the spinach. WARNING: if your spinach hasn’t cooled down before you start squeezing you will burn your hand.

Mix garlic, basil, spinach, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, salt and pepper. When combined stir in the lightly beaten egg and set aside.

Boil pasta shells until they are slightly underdone (about 8 min). Drain and transfer the shells to a bowl, and toss ’em with olive oil.

Spread spaghetti sauce in a baking dish big enough to arrange the shells in a single layer.

Fill each shell with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture, and arrange the filled shells in your dish filling side up <–duh. Sprinkle each with parmesan cheese.

Cover your dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

I failed to take a photo of the shells straight from the pan (b/c the game was on) so I grabbed a shot the next day before consuming my lunch. My niece said they tasted like little lasagnas. I’d have to agree. She was also able to recognize each ingredient (with the exception of garlic which she mistook for onion). Point is, the ingredients complemented each other. I doubled the recipe and served the shells alongside garlic bread and salad. In the end I had enough for dinner, and a dozen for lunch the next day.

Cooking Deets

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Cost: < $10

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: ★★★★☆