Ground Beef and Spinach Stuffed Shells (Low-Sodium)
Large pasta shells filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, spinach, and ricotta cheese, baked in a low-sodium tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 0.5 lb Ground Beef
- 16-20 shells Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 10 oz, thawed and squeezed very dry Frozen Spinach
- 15 oz Ricotta Cheese (low sodium)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1.5 tsp Dried Basil
- 1.5 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/3 cup, grated Parmesan Cheese (low sodium)
- 24 oz No-Salt-Added Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup, shredded Mozzarella Cheese (low sodium)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 medium, finely diced Onion
- 2 tbsp, chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add finely diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- In a separate large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, thawed and squeezed dry spinach, egg, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Mix well until fully combined.
- Carefully stuff each cooked pasta shell with the ground beef and spinach-ricotta mixture. Be gentle to avoid tearing the shells.
- Spread a thin layer of no-salt-added tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish, seam-side up, in a single layer.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the stuffed shells, ensuring they are well covered.
- Sprinkle low-sodium mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh parsley, if desired.
Cuisine: Italian
Suitability: high protein,low sodium
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Serving Size: 5
Meal Type: dinner