I came up with the idea for this recipe on a day when I had planned to make traditional stuffed shells for dinner, but realized what I had in my pantry was the little pasta shells and not the big shells for stuffing. Grrrrr. I had bought all the other ingredients at the store earlier that day, and I was determined to make it work anyway. So I decided to do an inside out /casserole version, and I have to say, it turned out truly fantastic. I may never go back to making traditional stuffed shells again! It was a lot faster and less tedious than stuffing shells. Each big and hearty portion is just 8 Points + – not bad for a dish made with pasta and three different types of cheese. The whole family loved it, and it made for great leftovers. Definitely a Weight Watchers Casserole Recipe to add to you repertoire. Enjoy!
Stuffed Shells Casserole
So comforting and satisfying, this casserole version of a classic stuffed shells recipe is a lot quicker to prepare, but just as delicious. Decadent and filling, it’s a perfect family meal.
Ingredients
- 12 oz whole wheat pasta shells
- 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 15 oz container part skim ricotta
- 1 9oz package frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
- 1 egg whites
- 1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta shells, then add in the marinara sauce and mix.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg white, spinach, garlic, parmesan, parsley, oregano, basil, and salt & pepper, and mix well.
- Mix 1/3 of the ricotta mixture in with pasta.
- Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with nonfat cooking spray or an olive oil mister. Place 1/2 of the pasta into the prepared baking dish.
- Drop spoonfuls of the remaining ricotta mixture evenly on top of the pasta shells. Top with remaining pasta shells.
- Sprinkle evenly with the shredded mozzarella.
- Cover with foil, poking a few holes for steam, and bake in oven for about 25 minutes. Remove foil, and place back in oven for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted, and bubbling.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegetarian
Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat
Number of servings (yield): 8
Culinary tradition: Italian
Calories: 332
Fat: 11g
Protein: 18g
Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is about 1 cup
Each serving = 8 Points +
PER SERVING: 332 calories; 11g fat; 41g carbohydrates; 18g protein; 5.5g fiber
The post Stuffed Shells Casserole Recipe – 8 Points + appeared first on LaaLoosh.