We've been fans of cheese-stuffed pasta shells our whole lives. It's one of the first baked casserole dishes we can remember eating - and liking! - and it remains a favorite today. Don't let the fact that this is a "lighter" version turn you off. It's still cheesy and delicious, but now it's just a little better for us!
This recipe employs one of our favorite ways to lighten up a recipe: simply adding more vegetables. Be sure to cook these onions and mushrooms until they're completely soft and golden. The deeply savory flavors of the vegetables really enrich the final dish.
Cottage cheese has a rich flavor and creamy texture that makes it a surprisingly good stand-in for ricotta. We drain the extra liquid to give us a more compact filling and add a handful of mozzarella cheese for...well...cheese! The parmesan sprinkled on top also gives a burst of cheesy flavor in every bite.
erves 6-8
12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese, whole or 2%
1 onion, diced small
10 ounces mushrooms, diced small
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch nutmeg
10 ounces baby spinach
3/4 cup (about 6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
32-ounce can crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or your favorite jarred tomato sauce
1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
Boil a large pot of water, add a tablespoon of salt, and cook the pasta shells until barely al dente. You want them a little under-cooked for this dish because they will absorb more liquid in the oven. Set the shells aside to cool.
Set a strainer over a bowl. Pour the cottage cheese into the strainer and allow it to drain for at least 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a healthy pinch of salt, and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and turned golden, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, nutmeg, and another good pinch of salt. Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Turn the heat down to medium. Add as much of the spinach as will fit in the pan and cover with a lid. After a minute or two, uncover and stir the spinach. As it wilts and creates more space, add the remaining spinach to the pan. Continue stirring and steaming until all the spinach is wilted. Uncover the pan and stir the spinach for a few minutes to let the residual liquid evaporate. Remove from heat.
Combine the drained cottage cheese, the cooked vegetables, and the mozzarella in a large bowl. Taste a spoonful and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Pour half of the can of tomatoes into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole or other baking dish. Scoop a healthy spoonful (2-3 tablespoons) of the filling into each shell and arrange them side-by-side in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes covered and 10-15 minutes uncovered. The tomato sauce should be bubbling around the edges and look thickened in the pan. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top of the shells in the last few minutes of cooking. Allow the casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to a week.
Related: Five Ways to Eat Spinach
(Images: Emma Christensen)
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This looks scrumptious! Another healthy alternative is to use cashew ricotta. I've tried it in shells and it works perfectly. Found this recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/cashew-ricotta-284547
I love stuffed shells but i like to experiment w/ a filling that is not cheese (im in a lactose intolerant family). I already make cashew milk so i'm going to try the cashew cheese, thanks.
Would sauteed spinach work inside, or would it get too mushy or dry from being baked after being sauteed?
I'm wondering why one should use 2% or whole cottage cheese instead of fat-free ricotta (if going for a healthier version). Is cottage cheese healthier than fat-free (or regular) ricotta? Or does fat free ricotta not cook up well in a dish like this?
splim - You can certainly sub in non-fat ricotta if you'd like. I think it would work fine in the recipe.
Personally, I find that lower-fat cottage cheese is a bit healthier (in terms of fat and calories) than low-fat ricotta and tastes better than non-fat ricotta.
Try these with riced potato and spinach as a filling. Not quite the same a ricotta, but equally delicious.
Oooo.
I'm going to try this with sheep's milk ricotta sometime soon.
I made this last night and while it took a little bit of time, I put that on me, not the recipe. Tasted great! Fantastic second day lunch!
Looks delish. Although I think I might put the moz on top of the shells. I think I would miss the melty cheese on top. Definitely on my meal list for this week.
@Emma Christensen - Do you think I could get away with preparing this dish the night before baking it? I was thinking I could put everything together, fridge, and then bake the next evening for dinner. Would that work?
I made this dish this week and YUM! I made it the night before without baking it, placed it the fridge with the foil on top the, and baked it the next night. My husband (a meat lover) commented that they were great and the mushrooms really took the place of meat. We have had them for left overs for lunch and dinner and they continue to be delicious!
The "flavor issues" that fat free ricotta seems to have is easily remedied by using a GOOD Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Tried this recipe and
LOVED it! I didn't feel over stuffed like I normally do, and I even had a second helping. It was very flavorful and delicious. I will definately make this recipe again!
My mother used to put the cottage cheese through the blender to get rid of the curds--it was hard to distinguish it from ricotta.
I just made this tonight, and my husband and I loved it! The filling is delicious -- the cottage cheese worked really well, and the spinach and mushroom gave it some more heft so it was more filling. There was just enough mozzarella to give it that melty satisfying feeling that you get with stuffed pasta without being quite as tough on your waist-line.