Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach, Ricotta and Butternut Squash

These stuffed pasta shells are delicious, and not to mention they can be made ahead, frozen and baked whenever you're in need of a tasty meal!

My mom used to make stuffed pasta shells when I was growing up, and let me tell you, I could never eat just one (or two). So when I was thinking thinking of a stuffed shell recipe to make for the blog, my mom's recipe immediately came to mind. But I had to add my own spin on it of course! That's where the butternut squash comes in.

These spinach stuffed shells are made with ricotta and butternut squash, plus they're topped with a delicious brown butter sauce with sage and hazelnuts. The hazelnuts in the sauce are a GAME CHANGER. They add a beautiful nutty and unexpected flavor to the stuffed shells - a flavor that will keep you wanting more and more!

What Is In These Stuffed Pasta Shells?

Filling:

• Spinach
• Ricotta
• Egg
• Parmesan cheese
• Roasted butternut squash cubes

Sauce:

• Butter
• Sage
• Finely chopped hazelnuts

How to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells - Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350°F, Fill each cooked shell with some of the filling, and the butternut squash cubes (3-4 cubes per shell). Place the shells in a baking dish (photo 4)

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the shells in the oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

While shells are baking, make the brown butter sage and hazelnut sauce. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. When it starts to turn a light brown color (3-5 minutes), add the sage leaves and hazelnuts. Let butter cook until it foams, and foam starts to recede, brown specks have formed in the butter, and butter is dark brown in color. Remove from heat (photo 5)

Remove shells from the oven, and drizzle butter sauce over shells. Serve and enjoy (photo 6)

Can These Spinach Stuffed Shells Be Made Ahead?

Yes! You can cook the pasta shells, make the filling, and then fill the shells without baking them. If you're not ready to serve them, store them either in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Once ready to serve, remove from the fridge or freezer, bake them, make the butter sauce and top stuffed shells with the sauce.

Can They Be Frozen?

Yes! Stuff the shells without baking them or adding sauce. Then place in the freezer for up 2 months. When ready to serve, defrost the shells, and bake them. In the mean time, make the butter sauce and top the shells with the butter sauce once they are warmed through.

Top Tips to Make Stuffed Pasta Shells:

• If your ricotta has a lot of moisture in it and is quite liquid (which most ricottas are), be sure to strain it first. If you do not strain it, your filling will be runny.
  • How to strain the ricotta:
    • Place a sieve over a bowl, and place the ricotta in the sieve. Level it out and place a piece of parchment paper over the ricotta. Place a heavy item (I use my big jar of salt) on the parchment paper. Let ricotta drain into the bowl for at least 20 minutes.
• You can use chopped frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach for this recipe. Simply let the frozen spinach thaw and squeeze out the liquid before using
• Cook the pasta shells until they are well done, (not al dente). They will not become softer when baked in the oven.
• Make sure that when baking the stuffed shells, that you cover them with aluminum foil. If not covered, they will dry out while baking.
• You can make these shells ahead of time - cook the shells, fill them and without baking, store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. When ready, bake them in the oven, make the butter sauce, and top the shells with the sauce.

Other Fall-Inspired Dishes You Might Like:

• Butternut Squash and Ricotta Gnocchi
• Pappardelle with Short Rib Ragu
• Escarole and Beans

If you’ve tried making these Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach, Ricotta and Butternut Squash, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.

Recipe

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4.67 from 3 votes

Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach, Ricotta and Butternut Squash

These stuffed pasta shells with spinach, ricotta and butternut squash are delicious, and not to mention they can be made ahead, frozen and baked whenever you're in need of a tasty meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 20 pasta shells

Calories 134.51kcal

Author Pina Bresciani

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 20 pasta shells
• 2 cups ricotta cheese drained
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
• 6 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
• ½ cup salted butter
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoon hazelnuts chopped into small pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the butternut squash

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut both ends off of the butternut squash and peel it with a vegetable peeler. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut it into 1-2cm cubes. Place the cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Place baking sheet in the oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until butternut squash is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Cook the spinach

• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add the spinach, a touch of salt, and cook until wilted. Let cool.

Cook the pasta shells

• In the mean time, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water, and throw the shells in. Boil the shells until they are well cooked. Set the shells aside.

Prepare the filling

• Squeeze out any excess liquid from the spinach.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, spinach, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Stuff the Shells

• Preheat oven to 350°F, Fill each cooked shell with some of the filling, and the butternut squash cubes (3-4 cubes per shell). Place the shells in a baking dish.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the shells in the oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

Make the Brown Butter, Sage and Hazelnut Sauce

• While shells are baking, make the brown butter sage and hazelnut sauce. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. When it starts to turn a light brown color (3-5 minutes), add the sage leaves and hazelnuts. Let butter cook until it foams, and foam starts to recede, brown specks have formed in the butter, and butter is dark brown in color. Remove from heat.
• Remove shells from the oven, and drizzle butter sauce over shells. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• If your ricotta has a lot of moisture in it and is quite liquid (which most ricottas are), be sure to strain it first. If you do not strain it, your filling will be runny.
  • How to strain the ricotta:
    • Place a sieve over a bowl, and place the ricotta in the sieve. Level it out and place a piece of parchment paper over the ricotta. Place a heavy item (I use my big jar of salt) on the parchment paper. Let ricotta drain into the bowl for at least 20 minutes.
• You can use chopped frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach for this recipe. Simply let the frozen spinach thaw and squeeze out the liquid before using
• Cook the pasta shells until they are well done, (not al dente). They will not become softer when baked in the oven.
• Make sure that when baking the stuffed shells, that you cover them with aluminum foil. If not covered, they will dry out while baking. 
• You can make these shells ahead of time - cook the shells, fill them and without baking, store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. When ready, bake them in the oven, make the butter sauce, and top the shells with the sauce. 
• You will definitely have leftover butternut squash cubes. Use the leftovers to add to salads, or make a butternut squash soup. 

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach, Ricotta and Butternut Squash

Amount Per Serving

Calories 134.51 Calories from Fat 95

% Daily Value*

Fat 10.53g16%

Saturated Fat 5.55g35%

Cholesterol 34.07mg11%

Sodium 99.71mg4%

Potassium 220.12mg6%

Carbohydrates 6.45g2%

Fiber 1.08g5%

Sugar 1.02g1%

Protein 4.6g9%

Vitamin A 5106.36IU102%

Vitamin C 10.47mg13%

Calcium 101.3mg10%

Iron 0.71mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.