High Protein Stuffed Shells

4.94 from 16 votes

These High Protein Stuffed Shells are a more filling, nutrient-dense version of a classic Italian dish! Jumbo pasta shells get stuffed with a turkey, spinach and cheese mixture and then are baked in marinara sauce until gooey, melty perfection. A healthy comfort food recipe and easy way to feed a crowd!

Servings jumbo shells

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Equipment

cutting board
knife
large pot
colander
baking sheet
large pan
spatula
9x13" baking dish
2 large bowls
spoon

Ingredients

20-25 jumbo pasta shells
olive oil
½ large yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 lb ground turkey (93-94% lean)*
2 cups frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp italian seasoning
kosher salt & black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
16 oz cottage cheese (4% or 2% milkfat)
2 cups low-moisture, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz), divided**
½ cup finely grated parmesan
2 cups marinara sauce divided
basil optional, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce out on the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
2 cups marinara sauce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt the water. Once boiling, add the pasta shells and cook until al-dente, about 9 minutes for the Barilla brand. Drain and then spread out the shells on a baking sheet to cool down and prevent sticking.
20-25 jumbo pasta shells
Meanwhile, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add a bit of olive oil. Then, add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, until turning translucent and tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
olive oil, ½ large yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves
Then, add ground turkey, italian seasoning, salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking apart, until the ground turkey is browned and almost fully done through.
1 lb ground turkey, 1 tsp italian seasoning, kosher salt & black pepper, red pepper flakes
Add frozen spinach and cook for a few more minutes until the spinach has thawed and wilted. If there seems to be a lot of excess liquid in the pan, drain it off. Transfer ground turkey mixture to a large bowl and let it cool slightly.
2 cups frozen chopped spinach
In another large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, HALF of the mozzarella (1 cup), parmesan and more salt. Then, add the slightly cooled turkey mixture and stir until incorporated.
16 oz cottage cheese, 2 cups low-moisture, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ cup finely grated parmesan
Use a spoon to add the filling mixture to the cooked pasta shells. You should get between 20-25 shells worth, depending how heavily you stuff them. Then, place them into the baking dish. Add the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells and then sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
2 cups low-moisture, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 cups marinara sauce
Transfer baking dish to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. At the end, switch it to broil for a few more minutes. Garnish with chopped basil and enjoy!
basil

Video

Notes

*NOTE: Feel free to substitute ground chicken or ground beef instead.

**NOTE: You can either use pre-shredded mozzarella or shred it yourself. The latter will melt better since it doesn't have any additives.

TO MAKE THIS GLUTEN FREE: Simply swap the normal pasta shells for these brown rice pasta shells. They can be tricky to find in stores but you can order on Amazon!

NUTRITION INFO: The nutrition information listed below is per shell, assuming that you get 20 shells total.

Calories: 135kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cottage Cheese, dinner, Ground Turkey, High Protein, Italian, Marinara, Mozzarella, pasta, Spinach, Stuffed Shells

Nutrition