Description
Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells, baked with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Perfect for fall dinners.
Ingredients
Pasta & Filling:
- 1 box jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 15 oz canned pumpkin purée
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg (to bind filling)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
Sauce & Topping:
- Jarred marinara sauce (enough to coat bottom of baking dish)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta Shells (10 minutes) Boil water with salt. Cook shells until they still have bite. Drain and toss with oil so they don’t stick.
2. Preheat and Prep (5 minutes) Oven to 350°F.
3. Make the Magical Filling (5 minutes) Mix ricotta, half the pumpkin, Parmesan, beaten egg, and seasonings. Should be orange and smooth.
4. Create the Sauce (3 minutes) Mix leftover pumpkin with cream and marinara. This is what makes it special.
5. Assemble with Love (10 minutes) Spread sauce in dish bottom. Fill shells with 2 spoonfuls of ricotta mix. Line them up.
6. First Bake (30 minutes) Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes until hot through.
7. Add the Cheese Crown (10-15 minutes) Take off foil. Add mozzarella. Bake 10-15 minutes until melted.
8. Optional Broil for Perfection (2-3 minutes) Broil 2-3 minutes for brown spots. Watch it or it burns.
Notes
Cut corner off zip-lock bag to fill shells easier
Oil the shells after cooking or they stick
Filling should be hot, cheese should bubble
Use 9×13 dish – smaller is too crowded
Grate your own Parmesan
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 shells
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg