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
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
Notes
Add cooked sausage to the marinara sauce if desired