• 20 jumbo pasta shells, or gluten-free jumbo shells (such as Tinkyada)
  
• 4 ounces fresh baby spinach (2 packed cups, chopped)
  
• 16 ounces 2% cottage cheese (2 cups, drained)
  
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 2 tablespoons pesto, homemade or store-bought
  
• 1 large egg
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional salt for the pasta water
  
• 2 ¼ cups marinara sauce, jarred or homemade, plus extra for serving
  
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
  
• Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the spinach in a large pot with 3 tablespoons water. Cover and steam for about a minute, stirring once or twice, until wilted. Transfer to a strainer, squeeze out excess moisture, and chop.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo shells according to package instructions, about 9 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep them separated so they don’t stick.
4. While the pasta cooks, stir together the cottage cheese, Parmesan, pesto, egg, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped spinach and mix thoroughly.
5. Spread 1 cup of marinara across the bottom of the 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with roughly 2 tablespoons of the cottage cheese mixture. Arrange them cut-side up in the dish. Spoon the remaining marinara over the shells and sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch the cheese, and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Add fresh basil or parsley on top before serving. Offer extra marinara on the side if you’d like.

Nutrition