Slow Cooker Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Serve with a salad and slices of Italian bread.

Serves: 6Hands-on: 30 minutesTotal: 6 hours 30 minutesDifficulty: Medium

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 4 cups marinara sauce, divided
  • 30 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
  • 2⁄3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
  • 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 1⁄2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

  • Spread 1⁄2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Set aside.
  • Cook shells in boiling salted water for 4 minutes (shells will not be fully cooked). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, bread crumbs, Parmesan, 2 cups of the mozzarella, egg, nutmeg, and black pepper. Stuff each pasta shell with 2 heaping tablespoons of the spinach-cheese mixture. Place a layer of stuffed shells in the prepared slow cooker. Spoon a little sauce over each shell, then continue to layer in the shells until all are in the cooker. Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top layer of shells.
  • Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella before serving.