Cottage Cheese and Herb Stuffed Shells
Jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory blend of cottage cheese, parmesan, and fresh herbs baked in marinara.
Recipe Author
Riff Kitchen@riffkitchen
Italian-AmericanDinnerVegetarian
Cottage Cheese and Herb Stuffed Shells
Jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory blend of cottage cheese, parmesan, and fresh herbs baked in marinara.
By Riff KitchenOn Riff.kitchen, recipes start from what is already in your fridge. Add what you have, and it plans around whatever goes off first.
- 15 prep · 30 cook
- 45 min
- servings
- 4
- effort
- Medium
Chef's note
Cottage cheese adds a unique, creamy lightness to the filling that keeps the pasta airy and rich without being heavy.
Method
8 steps · tap one to tick it off
Tips
Cook a few extra shells. Jumbo shells tear easily while boiling. A few spares mean all the filling still finds a shell.
Drain the cottage cheese first. Its liquid makes the filling runny and the sauce watery. Let it sit in a sieve for 10 minutes before mixing.
Pipe the filling from a bag. A zip-top bag with a corner snipped off fills the shells faster and with less mess than a teaspoon.
Swaps
No mozzarella cheese? Provolone or Monterey Jack, which melt the same way.
No fresh parsley? Fresh basil or chives, or a pinch of dried oregano.
No marinara sauce? Canned crushed tomatoes simmered 10 minutes with garlic, salt and a little olive oil.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. Freeze them baked or unbaked in the dish; the cottage cheese turns slightly grainy.
Reheat: Covered with foil in a 180°C oven until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
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Ask the chef
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Chef's note
Cottage cheese adds a unique, creamy lightness to the filling that keeps the pasta airy and rich without being heavy.
Instructions
Follow the steps to perfection.
Tips
Cook a few extra shells. Jumbo shells tear easily while boiling. A few spares mean all the filling still finds a shell.
Drain the cottage cheese first. Its liquid makes the filling runny and the sauce watery. Let it sit in a sieve for 10 minutes before mixing.
Pipe the filling from a bag. A zip-top bag with a corner snipped off fills the shells faster and with less mess than a teaspoon.
Swaps
No mozzarella cheese? Provolone or Monterey Jack, which melt the same way.
No fresh parsley? Fresh basil or chives, or a pinch of dried oregano.
No marinara sauce? Canned crushed tomatoes simmered 10 minutes with garlic, salt and a little olive oil.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. Freeze them baked or unbaked in the dish; the cottage cheese turns slightly grainy.
Reheat: Covered with foil in a 180°C oven until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
Tap a star to rate it.
Community Reviews 0
No reviews yet. Be the first to try this!
Riff Assistant
Ready to Remix