Sunday Supper, Corn & Zucchini Pesto Stuffed Shells with Marinara

the Painted Apron

3 years ago

This is a great “make now and bake later” dish

I wanted to make dinner for HHjr last Sunday

because he was driving back from a fishing weekend

I had a few summer vegetables I wanted to use up

They were perfect for Summer Stuffed Shells

Get the pasta going while you cut corn from the cobs

and chop up zucchini and yellow squash

Saute it with onions in a skillet until softened

Break the egg in a large mixing bowl and beat with a fork

add ricotta cheese, pesto, Mozzarella and shaved Parmesan

Stir to blend

Stir in sauteed vegetables

Drain pasta shells and put marinara sauce into a 9″ x 9″ baking dish

I did not use any meat for this casserole,

but you can easily add cooked sausage

to the marinara sauce if desired

Fill shells with the vegetable mixture

and place close together in the marinara

Put a little pesto on top of each shell then top with Mozzarella

At this point you can cover the dish and refrigerate for baking later

or even the next day

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Serve it up!

This recipe is adapted from How Sweet Eats

Corn & Zucchini Pesto Stuffed Shells with Marinara

Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with ricotta, pesto, corn and squash and baked with marinara sauce and cheese for a delicious do ahead dinner one dish mel

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword corn and zucchini pasta casserole, Do ahead dinner, garden stuffed shells, Jumbo Pasta Shells, stuffed shells

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Servings 4

Equipment

9" x 9" baking dish or similar size

Ingredients

2 cups 4 cheese Marinara Sauce
18-20 jumbo pasta shells
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 ears of corn
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
15 oz ricotta cheese
2/3 cup pesto
1 large egg
2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese divided
1/2 cup fresh shaved Parmesan
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
Salt & pepper
Finely grated Parmesan

Instructions

Cook pasta shells in salted boiling water until soft. Drain
Put olive oil into a large skillet and add onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until soft, 4-5 minutes then add garlic
While onions are cooking cut corn from cobs and trim ends of squash, then cut in quarters and chop into small pieces
Put corn and squash in skillet with onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until squash is softened and cooked
Season with salt and pepper
In a large mixing bowl, break the egg and beat it with a fork. Add ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup pesto sauce, 1 cup Mozzarella and shaved Parmesan. Stir well to combine
Transfer vegetables from skillet to the mixing bowl and stir into ricotta mixture
Put marinara sauce in a 9” x 9” baking dish
Fill each pasta shell with 3-4 Tablespoons of vegetable mixture and place close together in the marinara sauce Top each shell with the remaining pesto
Sprinkle reserved Mozzarella on top
Dish can be covered and refrigerated at this point for baking later if desired
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbling
Spoon onto plates to serve and sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan
Makes 4 large servings or 6 smaller servings