These Spinach and Farmer Cheese Stuffed Shells are a comfort food dish you’ll come back to time and time again, and they’re packed with protein from our farmer cheese and ground beef. Fresh spinach and parsley, garlic, onion, and red wine give these shells layers of flavors while red pepper flakes add a bit of heat, and a variety of cheeses create an incredible texture when combined with our farmer cheese.
Lifeway Farmer Cheese is the perfect do-it-all cheese to use in stuffed shells because it’s ultra creamy in texture with a mild, slightly tart flavor that’s similar to a mixture of cottage cheese and ricotta. With no added salt or sugar, it allows the flavors you use in recipes to do the work, making it versatile and adaptable. Give it a go in these stuffed shells, and you’ll see what we mean. This protein-rich recipe makes a hearty meal you can feel good about that also makes you feel good, too!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 45 mins Servings: 8Ingredients
- 16 jumbo shells
- 1 (23.5 oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups (16 oz.) - 2 packages Farmer Cheese
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, divided
- 1 (5 oz.) container of baby spinach
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups shredded Italian blend cheese, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine of choice
- Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Boil pasta shells until al dente, then set aside. Sauté spinach until wilted, then set aside and squeeze with a paper towel to let out excess moisture.
- In a large pan, sauté onions until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and garlic, and cook until beef is browned. Reserve ¾ cups marinara, then pour remaining marinara into beef and onion mixture. Add fresh parsley, red wine, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Let sauce cook down ÿor about 5 minutes then take off the heat.
- Meanwhile, make the filling by combining Lifeway Farmer Cheese, spinach, ¼ cup parsley, the egg, 1 cup Italian blend cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, & a pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. In a large baking dish, assemble shells by layering meat sauce into the bottom of the dish. Stuff each shell with about 2 tbsp of the filling, then layer on top of the meat mixture in rows.
- Add about 1 tsp of reserved marinara sauce from earlier on top of each shell. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add remaining cheese and bake for another 15 minutes without foil. Top with more fresh parsley, and enjoy!
