By Rachael Thompson Hosting 01.01.2026

Highboy LA's Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta with Marinara Sauce

A deliciously baked dish for a comforting dinner at home.

Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, Katie from Highboy LA shares her recipe for a delicious spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta with marinara sauce.

When it comes to comfort meals, does it get much better than a heartwarming pasta dish? It's certainly at the top of our list and this easy-to-make baked pasta from Highboy LA could very well be your next obsession.

This recipe sees large pasta shells stuffed with spinach and plenty of cheesy goodness – we're talking ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan – baked in a marinara sauce and topped with basil. It guarantees a phenomenally comforting meal in 45 minutes.

Serve it alongside some buttery garlic bread and a simple salad, and you'll have yourself the perfect dinner party spread.

Ingredients

1 packet jumbo pasta shells
1 700ml jar marinara sauce
2 280g packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
420g ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, save 1/4 for topping
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil (dried works too)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Coat a greased baking dish with 1/2 of the jar of marinara.
Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
Once cooked, drain under cool water and set aside.
Using a dish (or paper) towel, squeeze out any excess liquid from thawed spinach.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, 3/4 of the mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and seasonings to make the filling. Stir to combine.
Take your shells and begin stuffing them with the filling. Nestle them in the baking dish, seam side up.
Once the dish is full, top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10.
Serve hot and top with extra basil and Parmesan.

For more from Katie, follow her at @highboyla.