Jumbo Stuffed Shells Appetizer

I tolerate football season, which is to say I’m completely indifferent to all of it. It’s just a means to an end, really. As in, the Superbowl. Which is fun!

I’m already thinking about apps I can serve. I figure if the stores are already displaying Christmas decorations (ridiculous!), then I can certainly start planning a Superbowl party now.

So, I’m hip to the usual dips and chicken wings <<< I love that stuff! The thing is, I always want to serve pasta. Weird? But serving pasta in bowls doesn’t quite fly like chili. (And why is that?? *shakes fists*)

Problem solved, you guys. I took my beloved lasagna roll recipe, and converted it into finger food!

This version is meatless, but if you want to add sausage or chicken, go for it. Or have your own favorite filling? I won’t stop you.

And hey, if you want to serve these as dinner instead of an appetizer, that works too!

Jumbo Stuffed Shells Appetizer

Your favorite lasagna filling stuffed into jumbo pasta shells and served as an awesome appetizer!

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Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings: 24 appetizers

Ingredients

• 24 jumbo pasta shells
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese , divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 10 ounce package frozen spinach, , thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup marinara spaghetti sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil; throw in a pinch of salt and add your pasta shells. Cook until al dente, according to package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and coat with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
• In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add in the spinach; mix until combined.
• Fill each cooked shell with a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture.
• Place a stuffed shell into each muffin tin slot. Top with a dollop of spaghetti sauce and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over each one.
• Bake for 20 minutes until mixture is warmed through and cheese has melted.
• Garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1538IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta shell appetizer

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adapted from my lasagna rolls