I made dinner!
It’s meatless, cheesy, and served with a smoky marinara — plus it’s full of vegetables. These stuffed shells might become my new go-to. They also freeze well if you like to stock the freezer with ready meals.
To be honest, I haven’t prepared freezer meals for the baby yet and I don’t think I will. Instead, I grabbed a bunch of frozen items from the grocery store, which should help cover busy days after the baby arrives.
We don’t have stuffed shells often — maybe once a year — but whenever I do, I enjoy them. Around this time of year I crave tomato-sauce dishes for the comfort they bring. Pregnancy changed my food preferences a bit, and during the holidays I especially find myself wanting something different from the usual roast and gravy rotation. A tomato-based, cheesy pasta dish is sometimes the perfect break.
These shells are packed with vegetables and start with caramelized onions, which give the filling a deep, sweet flavor. They’re completely meat-free — which Eddie doesn’t always consider a full meal — but he was happy to add chicken on the side, and he also enjoyed these shells as a side dish throughout the week.
The sauce is an easy version of marinara made with fire-roasted diced tomatoes, which add a lovely smoky depth. I use fire-roasted tomatoes in lots of recipes because they give sauces, soups and chilis an extra layer of flavor.
Of course I used fontina cheese for its superb melting quality. It’s our favorite melty cheese and works beautifully in the filling and on top.
So yes — I’m really into these shells. The combination of caramelized onions, roasted vegetables, creamy ricotta and gooey fontina, all baked in a smoky tomato sauce, is irresistible.
Roasted Vegetable and Fontina Stuffed Shells with Fire Roasted Marinara
6
1 hr 30 mins
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Ingredients
quick fire roasted marinara
- 2 14-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
stuffed shells
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup butternut squash, 1/2–1 inch cubes
- 12 ounces mushrooms, chopped
- 8 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
- Fresh basil and oregano to garnish
Instructions
quick fire roasted marinara
- Combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down. Stir in the basil and set aside.
stuffed shells
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9 (or 9×13) baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over low heat and melt the butter. Add the sliced onions, butternut squash and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized and golden, about 25–30 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the spinach and garlic and cook until the spinach wilts.
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta with most of the fontina (reserve a little for the top). Stir in the beaten egg, salt and pepper. Fold in the cooked vegetables until evenly incorporated.
- Spread 1/2 cup of marinara in the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each cooked pasta shell with the cheesy vegetable mixture and place in the dish. Pour the remaining marinara over the shells and sprinkle with the reserved fontina. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh oregano and basil before serving.
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