Here is another delicious recipe from guest blogger Harpreet from All Things Preet. This one is for all Mediterranean Diet followers or any lover of a great pasta shell recipe.
Many believe that one of the most effective diets noted for weight loss and heart health has been the Mediterranean Diet. Being that olive oil is an essential part of this diet, this dish is a great way to add healthy fats to your diet while trying to keep your waist line in check. These spicy air fried Calabrian stuffed shells make for a great guilt free dinner – and leftovers!
Ingredients
- 8 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
- 3 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella, to top shells
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes (skip this for a less spicy shell)
- 1 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Olive This! Spicy Calabrian Pesto Olive Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare jumbo shells according to package directions and cool completely.
Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F. In the meantime, place a pan on the stove. On medium heat, saute onion, red chili flakes and garlic with 1 tablespoon of Spicy Calabrian Pesto Olive Oil until fragrant. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning and add sliced fresh mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are just tender.
Turn off the stovetop and add in fresh spinach. Toss and cover for 2 minutes. Let the pan sit on the residual heat to wilt the spinach. Uncover, stir and let the mixture cool. Once the mixture is cool, add in the ricotta cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and place in the baking dish. (The trick is to place the shell in your palms so the cone shaped ends are going from your fingers to your palm. When you flex your hand – fingers toward the wrist – your shell will open.)
Spoon the marinara and the remaining Calabrian Olive Oil over the shells. Be sure that all ends of the pasta have had some liquid drizzled over them. Then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 10 min.
Serve hot!
Note: If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake the stuffed shells for 15 min at the same temp, 350 degrees.
Also note: This recipe lends itself to being prepared in advance. You can make and ricotta spinach mixture up to a day in advance. Also you can stuff the pasta shells the morning prior to serving.
Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).