Air Fryer Stuffed Spinach Pasta Shells
Description
Air Fryer Stuffed Spinach Pasta Shells — These are the best Air Fryer Stuffed Spinach Pasta Shells I have ever had! You can fill them with any fillings you want, but I chose spinach and ricotta cheese. The shells come out crispy on the outside while still being soft on the inside. They’re perfect for a quick dinner or an easy appetizer for your next party.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 14 oz 400g giant pasta shells
Marinara sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans canned tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Spinach & ricotta filling:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 7 oz 200g baby spinach
- 9 oz 250g ricotta
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of one lemon
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells as directed on the package.
- Make marinara sauce by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds. Next, add in tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, and cook for another minute. Finally, add canned tomatoes and leave to cook for 20 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted. Take off heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, then place into a medium bowl. Mix in ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg yolk, lemon zest, half the mozzarella, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Fill pasta shells with spinach ricotta mixture and place them into the pan. Sprinkle over the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Set air fryer to 300˚F and cook for 12-14 minutes, until cheese has melted.
- Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Baking Pan, any oven-safe pan that is smaller than the air fryer basket
- Cooking Spray
Notes
What Type of Shells To Use?
When you head to the grocery store, look for jumbo pasta shells, conchiglioni, or manicotti shells! You can use either oven-ready or regular jumbo pasta shells (which need to be cooked before stuffed) Can I Use Frozen Spinach? Yes, you will need to thaw it and then fully drain it before using it in the recipe. But the recipe will work precisely the same.Recipe Variations:
Meat: Add some cooked ground Italian sausage, diced meatballs, shredded BBQ Chicken, or even cooked chorizo sausage. Sauce: If you do not want to make your sauce, you can easily use jarred tomatoes or pasta sauce. For an extra treat, use Alfredo or even cheese sauce. Vegetables: Looking for a hearty vegetarian option, you can add diced zucchini, celery, or even carrots to your pasta sauce.Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 470kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 257mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3509IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 281mgIron: 2mg