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GREEK- STYLE Spinach & Feta Stuffed Shells (Spanakopita Flavored)
In Pasta

GREEK- STYLE Spinach & Feta Stuffed Shells (Spanakopita Flavored)



Get this recipe with exact measurements on www.dimitrasdishes.com

Serves 6-8:
20 jumbo (uncooked) pasta shells
3 cups pasta sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish: 2 scallions, finely sliced

For the Filling:
• 10 ounces baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup (8 ounces) full fat ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 eggs, beaten

For the Béchamel Sauce:
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• ¼ cup olive oil or melted butter
• ¼ all-purpose flour
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup shredded parmesan or gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.

Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water so that the shells don’t stick together and to stop the cooking process.

To make the spinach filling: Warm the olive oil along with the garlic clove over medium heat for a few seconds or just until the garlic releases its aroma. Take care not to burn it or it will become extremely bitter.
Add the chopped spinach and cook just until it wilts, stirring often.
Place the wilted spinach in a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, crumble the feta into the bowl, add the dill, and season with some black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and add salt if needed. Mix in the beaten eggs and set aside.

To make the Béchamel sauce: Combine the flour and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk well while cooking a few minutes until toasted.
Slowly add the milk in and whisk well to incorporate so that it is smooth and creamy.
Cook until it comes to a boil and thickens. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
Whisk the eggs together in a bowl. Add some of the hot milk mixture into the eggs and whisk to temper them so that they don’t scramble when added to the cream sauce.
Add the eggs to the sauce and whisk well.
Add the parmesan (Gruyere) cheese and mix to combine.

To assemble everything: Pour a layer of tomato sauce in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
Stuff the shells with the spinach filling and arrange the shells over the sauce.
Pour some béchamel sauce over the shells and top with shredded mozzarella cheese and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake the tray of stuffed shells (on the middle oven rack) covered with foil for 25-30 minutes, then uncover and bake until the cheese is golden by turning the broiler element on for the last 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that they don’t burn.

Garnish the stuffed shells with some sliced scallions and serve. Enjoy!

Make Ahead Freezer Instructions: Thaw the tray of shells overnight in the refrigerator then bake as usual. If they are not thawed overnight, place them in the oven while it is still cold and allow them to warm through slowly while the oven is pre-heating. It will take about 15-20 minutes longer for the shells to cook.

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32 Comments

  1. Justme77

    I want to make this for Christmas dinner. Thanks, Dimitra!! Your recipes are always a hit in my house.

  3. Carol Avant

    Thank you, Dimitra! I was just thinking about making stuffed shells, and this would be a great, new twist!

  7. Tanya Vav

    TY for doing the vegetarian version of the stuffed shells! I'd prefer this better. I'll definitely make this soon. This spinach stuffing would be delicious in ravioli too.

  9. Hailey Moses

    Looks super yummmmy🤗 I really want to try to make this because that sauce looks AH MAZING. Please make more videos soon!❤️

  10. Ελένη Γρυλάκη

    Οι συνταγες που μας μαγειρευεις φαινονται υπεροχες.Σε παρακολουθω συνεχεια.Γλυκια μου κοπελα σου ευχομαι Καλα Χριστουγεννα με υγεια και οικογενειακη ευτυχια.Χαιρετισματα απο Αθηνα.

  12. Justme77

    Update: I made this for Christmas dinner and it came out spectacular!!!! Everyone loved it and went back for seconds. Next time, though I will double the filling because I had so many shells left. I needed more spinach. I got the big box of jumbo shells and stuffed them with a tablespoon of filling, maybe more.

  13. Justme77

    You got me in trouble now, Dimitra! I made this and now I get requests for it all the time!! 🙂

  18. Ö

    Thank you so much for the recipe Dimitra! As we would say it: 'it rains in my mouth' (=mouth watering) because of these tasty looking shells!
    Just one question, I know you said you used a pasta sauce jar, but I am wondering what sort, is it simple plum tomatoes jar, or tomato and basil combo, or…?

    Many thanks! 🤗

  19. Amber Jones

    Wow I bet that is absolutely delicious !!!! Of course anything with feta is lol. Cant wait to try this.

  21. andrew voya

    OMG Dimitra ! This put such a smile on my face, and to think I haven’t tasted it yet !
    Always a pleasure to watch your channel.
    Magnificent. Thank you

  27. Jeanie Stock

    Just finished eating this and practically licking my plate! I've never had bechamel sauce on stuffed shells before. You aren't kidding about it taking it up a notch. Holy cow that's awesome. I don't like to cook, but I look forward to making this again and trying your other recipes. Thank you!

  31. Susan Campos

    Great job on the stuffed pasta shells with feta and spinach with garlic and butter . Feta crumble also . Two sauces red on bottom and white sauce on with egg and egg white whipped up and added slowly with warm milk and sauce then to white sauce . With parmesan grated cheese then topped with mazzarella cheese 400 degree oven till 20 to 25 minutes covered with foil. Then uncover 7 minute's broiled with green scallions onions on top. Then allow to settle cool off before you serve . So Cheese settled not so hot. To eat. Looks delicious and tasty and fairly easy to make as well thank you so much for sharing your Greek style stiffed pasta spinach shells. Yummy . Hopefully next shopping store visit spinach and large pasta shells I can buy and ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese . As those are something I haven't purchased before . Eggs also. For your recipe. Nutmeg and green onion s. Too. Such a treat to make for lunch or dinner. Awesome.

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