Go Back

Roasted Broccoli Stuffed Shells Recipe

Add roasted broccoli to a simple stuffed shell recipe for an easy, seasonal spin on an Italian-style meal.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, vegetarian

Ingredients
  

  • 2 broccoli crowns
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 24 jumbo pasta shells
  • 16 ounces (one container) ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup Mozzarella, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 26 ounces (3 cups) Marinara sauce

Instructions
 

To roast the broccoli

  • preheat the oven to 375 and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Chops the broccoli into bite sized pieces and toss with olive oil and minced garlic. Season with salt and lay flat on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly brown and crispy.

For the pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta shells (a few more than 24 incase a few break while cooking). Boil for 8-10 minutes or until slightly soft but with a slight bite. (They will cook more when they are baking).
  • While the pasta is cooking, mix together the three cheeses and the salt and cayenne. Once broccoli is done, roughly chop and add this to the cheese.
  • Pour 1 cup of the marinara into a rectangular baking dish.
  • Once pasta is done, drain the water, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Fill each shell with cheese and place in the baking dish. Mix together 1 more cup of the marinara with the 1/2 cup of pasta water and pour this over the top of the filled shells.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 covered, then, uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes or until bubbly.
  • Serve with remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce.