Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells

These Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells are not only simple, but they are delicious! Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with tons of cheese, topped with marinara, and baked to bubbly goodness. This vegetarian dinner is ready in 45 minutes or less!

Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe

Regarding family favorite meals, Italian dishes are often at the top of the list. Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells are no exception. My eggless version of this classic dish is easy, cheesy, and so delicious! This dish is sure to be a hit at your dinner table, too.

What I Love About This Recipe

• Easy & Quick: When it comes to weeknight dinners, the easier, the better, am I right? Most of us don’t have hours to spend creating gourmet meals that, let’s be honest, our kids probably will only pick at. And this dinner is ready in 45 minutes or less.
• Simple Ingredients: Gather around pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients, and you’re all set! The simplicity of this recipe doesn’t compromise on flavor.
• Vegetarian: For our plant-based food enthusiasts, rejoice! This recipe is entirely vegetarian, proving that you don’t need meat to create a dish that’s rich in taste and satisfaction.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells are not only simple, but they are also a great make-ahead meal! You can prepare it and put it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish it, or you can even freeze it sans the sauce for a hectic night. Keep reading to find out exactly how to do either of these options.
• Kids-Friendly: Say goodbye to dinner dilemmas! These Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells are not just a treat for adults but a hit with the little ones, too. The pasta shells act as cozy blankets for the cheesy goodness inside, making it a family-friendly favorite that even the pickiest eaters won’t be able to resist.

Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes

Scroll down to the complete recipe for the full list of amounts needed for Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells. You’ll need:

• Jumbo pasta shells (about 1 box of 12 oz – 340 g)
• Olive oil
• Whole milk ricotta cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Garlic
• Pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
• All-purpose flour
• Dried parsley
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Marinara sauce
• Fresh basil chopped (optional)

Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial

Step 1 – Cook the jumbo pasta shells until al dente

Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. 

Step 2 – Combine the eggless ricotta cheese filling

Place the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic, pecorino or parmesan, flour, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined.

Step 3 – Stuff your cooked shells with the cheese filling

To simplify this process, try piping it in rather than stuffing it by hand. Scroll down to the quick tips for more details.

Step 4 – Assemble & Bake

• Pour the marinara sauce on the bottom.
• Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture.
• Arrange shells in baking dishes.
• Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top, cover with foil, and bake!

Storing & Freezing Instructions

To store leftovers, tightly cover the shells in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To freeze, simply cook the shells and stuff them. Do not cover in marinara! Place the complete shells on a tray and freeze completely. Once completely frozen, place the shells in a large zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Don’t forget to label your freezer bag with the date you froze the shells and what is in it!

Ready to eat your frozen pasta shells?  Add your marinara to a baking dish. Place the frozen shells on top and add more marinara sauce on top, if desired.  Bake at 375º F, covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

To reheat, warm small portions in the microwave or oven until roll-ups are heated and the cheese melts.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

• Easy Eggless Cheese Manicotti 
• Eggless Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
• BEST Eggless Italian Meatballs
• Super Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese (Easy)
• Easy Tomato Provencal Sauce
• One-Pot Creamy Alfredo Pasta with Bacon and Peas
• Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole
• More easy dinner recipes…

Recipe Card

Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Oriana Romero

These Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells are not only simple, but they are delicious! Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with tons of cheese, topped with marinara and baked to bubbly goodness. This vegetarian dinner is ready in 45 minutes or less!

5 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings (5 stuffed shell per serving)

Equipment

• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Casserole

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 25 – 30 jumbo pasta shells (about 1 box of 12 oz – 340 g) (see notes)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• ▢ 3 cups (26 oz – 750 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
• ▢ 2 cups (228 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ ½ cup (60 g) Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated (see notes)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (20 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 3- 4 cups (about 700 g – 950 g) Marinara Sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped (optional)

Important

You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
• Cook pasta shells according to package directions (do not overcook – cook just until al dente). Drain, rinse with cold water, and then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
• Place the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic, pecorino or parmesan, flour, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined.
• Pour the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Note: you can also add half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish and the other half over the stuffed shells.
• Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture. Arrange shells in baking dishes. Sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese on top.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 2-4 minutes until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil to serve.

Oriana’s Notes

 

Jumbo Shells: A 12 oz box of jumbo pasta shells contains approximately 25-30 shells.; depends on the brand you are using.

 

Egg-Free Pats Shells: My favorite egg-free pasta brands are 365 Whole Foods, Colavita, and DeCecco.  Walmart and Wegman’s brands generally do not contain eggs either; however, I highly recommend checking labels all the time because, once in a while, they’re in a shared facility. For this recipe, I used Wegman’s Jumbo Pasta Shells. 

 

Spinach: If desired, add 2 cups of fresh or frozen spinach to the ricotta filling. If using fresh, steam or sauté just until wilted, squeeze dry with paper towels and chop. If using frozen, thaw it out first and drain, then dab dry with paper towels and add it to the ricotta mixture.

 

To store leftovers, tightly cover the shells in the refrigerator for up to three days.

 

To Freeze, simply cook the shells and stuff them. Do not cover in marinara! Place the complete shells on a tray and freeze completely. Once completely frozen, place the shells in a large zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Don’t forget to label your freezer bag with the date you froze the shells and what is in it!

Ready to eat your frozen pasta shells?  Add your marinara to a baking dish. Place the frozen shells on top and add more marinara sauce on top, if desired.  Bake at 375º F, covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

 

To Reheat: Warm small portions in the microwave or oven until it’s heated and the cheese melts.

 

Food Allergy Swaps:

• Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives. Here are my suggestions:
  • Ricotta: Substitute ricotta with dairy-free butter alternatives, such as Kite Hill Ricotta. 
  • Cheese: Use your favorite dairy-free cheddar-style cheese. I like VIOLIFE Just Like Mozzarella Shreds and Violife VIOlife Just Like Parmesan.
• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta shells and gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.

 

Quick Tips for Eggless Ricotta Stuffed Shells:

• Shells: Depending on the brand, a 12oz box of jumbo pasta shells contains approximately 25-30 shells. Cook a couple of extra shells in case a few shells break or tear while the pasta cooks. Once shells are cooked to al dente, drain the hot water, then fill the pot with cold water. This stops the cooking process and keeps the pasta from sticking together.
• Filling: To easily stuff the cooked pasta shells, Place the cheese stuffing mixture in a large zip-top bag or a piping bag, cut the tip of the bag off, and then stuff the cheese into your shells — It couldn’t be easier or more mess-free!
• Addition: Add spinach (about two cups) to the ricotta filling for extra nutrition if desired. See recipe notes for details.
• Shortcut: To save some time, you can use store-bought marinara sauce. But if you have a homemade sauce that your family loves, that works just as well!

 

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 701kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 38gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 1528mgPotassium: 742mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1561IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 637mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Calories 701

Keyword dinner easy eggfree Eggless pasta ricotta stuffedshells