Luxurious, vegetarian comfort food baked in a garlicky Alfredo blanket
📌 Recipe Overview
⏱️ Prep Time | 🔥 Cook Time | 🍽️ Total Time | 👥 Servings | 📊 Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|---|
30분 | 40 minutes | 1 hour 10 minutes | 6 servings | 중급 |
🧑🍳 Introduction
If you love spinach artichoke dip and creamy pasta bakes, this dish is about to steal your heart. These jumbo pasta shells are packed with a cheesy spinach-artichoke filling, then nestled in rich, homemade garlic Alfredo sauce and baked to golden perfection. It’s the perfect meatless meal for a cozy night in, family gathering, or when you want to impress guests without breaking a sweat.
Cheesy? ✅
Comforting? ✅
Vegetarian showstopper? ✅
🛒 재료
🐚 For the Pasta Shells
- 🐚 20 jumbo pasta shells (plus a few extra in case of breakage)
- 🧂 Salt, for boiling water
🌿 For the Filling
- 🧀 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 🧀 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 🧀 ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 🌱 1 cup cooked spinach (drained and chopped — fresh or frozen)
- 🌻 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
- 🧄 다진 마늘 2쪽
- 🧂 소금과 후추 (취향에 따라)
- 🥚 1 egg, lightly beaten
🧄 For the Alfredo Sauce
- 🧈 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 🧄 다진 마늘 2쪽
- 🥛 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 🧀 ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 🧂 Salt & white pepper to taste
- 🪴 Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
✨ Topping
- 🧀 ½ cup mozzarella (for sprinkling)
- 🌿 Fresh parsley or basil (for garnish)
🍳 지침
🥣 Step 1: Cook the Shells
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add jumbo shells and cook until just al dente — about 8 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
🧀 Step 2: Make the Filling
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, artichokes, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well until creamy and thick. Set aside in the fridge while you make the sauce.
🧄 Step 3: Prepare the Alfredo Sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in cream and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan and whisk until melted and thickened (about 5–7 minutes).
- Season with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Turn off heat.
🧱 Step 4: Assemble the Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a generous layer of Alfredo sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of filling and arrange them snugly in the pan.
- Pour remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the shells.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
🔥 Step 5: Bake
- Cover dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
🌿 Step 6: Garnish & Serve
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Substitute kale or Swiss chard for spinach.
- Add a dash of lemon zest for brightness.
- Want protein? Add shredded rotisserie chicken to the filling.