Healthy Lunch Recipes Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
When I think about comfort food that doesn’t weigh me down, these spinach and ricotta stuffed shells always come to mind. The creamy filling hugs the pasta in a way that feels cozy but still light enough for the middle of the day. Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reheated these for a quick lunch, and they somehow taste even better the next day.
This dish checks every box for me. It’s one of those recipes healthy lunch lovers keep close because it’s easy to make ahead, full of flavor, and doesn’t feel like another boring salad. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love healthy salad recipes for lunch, but sometimes I want something warm and cheesy that still qualifies as recipe healthy lunch worthy. These shells deliver on that promise.
So if you’re hunting for easy healthy lunch recipes that feel like a hug in a bowl, this is it. It blends the best parts of healthy recipes for lunch with the indulgence of pasta. I like to pair mine with a simple side salad, but you can just as easily eat them solo and call it a day. The best part? They make you feel satisfied without the food coma.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook pasta shells in salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, half the mozzarella, spinach mixture, egg, salt, and pepper.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Stuff each shell with the ricotta-spinach filling and arrange in the dish.
- Pour remaining marinara over the shells and sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.