Updated
It doesn’t get much better than cheesy pasta, and these crockpot stuffed shells are so effortless to make. I’ve taken jumbo shells, filled them with cheese and spinach, and slow-cooked them to absolute cheesy perfection.
5-Star Review
“I made this recipe and it was so good! I added a pound of sausage and was luckily able to find the shells. I found it to make more shells than what it called for. I added more sauce and would add more next time, but I like things really saucy. Definitely will make again, it was perfect for the snow day!” – Margaret
Easy Slow Cooker Stuffed Shells Recipe
I’ve always loved stuffed shells, but they haven’t made it onto my menu as often as I’d like because they can be pretty time-consuming to prepare. That all changed once I started making them in the crockpot. These stuffed shells are rich, cheesy, and surprisingly easy to prep—there’s no need to boil the pasta ahead of time. I simply fill the jumbo shells with a cheesy spinach mixture, let the crockpot do the work, and come home to a warm, comforting meal that’s ready to eat.
When I’m in the mood for a comforting, cheesy meal and have a little extra time to cook, I turn to this recipe for Italian stuffed shells. They’re hearty, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd—or just for enjoying a big, satisfying meal at home.
Crockpot Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 6 oz. baby spinach steamed, drained, and squeezed dry
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded & divided
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 28 jumbo pasta shells
- 26 oz. pasta sauce marinara, herb and garlic, or even rose all work
Video
Instructions
- Combine ricotta cheese, spinach, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and seasonings in a small bowl. Spoon or pipe mixture into raw pasta shells.*3 cups ricotta cheese, 6 oz. baby spinach, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp black pepper, 28 jumbo pasta shells
- Place ½ cup sauce in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Line the bottom with stuffed shells and top with 1 cup pasta sauce. Layer on the rest of the shells, then top with the rest of the sauce.26 oz. pasta sauce
- Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low 5-6 hours. Remove lid, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, serve garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
- Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Crockpot Stuffed Shells Step by Step
Prepare the cheese mixture: Combine 3 cups ricotta cheese, 6 oz. spinach, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp black pepper in a bowl.
Spoon or pipe mixture into raw pasta shells.
Layer the crockpot: Place ½ cup sauce in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place a layer of stuffed shells over the sauce and then top with 1 cup pasta sauce. Layer the balance of the shells, then top with the rest of the sauce.
Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
Garnish and serve: Remove lid, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and serve garnished with parsley, if desired.
How to Store
Once your pasta shells are cooked, they can be kept warm in the crockpot safely for up to 2 hours. Leftover pasta should be cooled before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
The shells can be reheated in the slow cooker or in the oven at 350F, covered with foil for 15 minutes to heat through.
Serving Suggestions
For a complete meal, I’ll serve crockpot pasta shells with a side of lemon roasted broccoli or savory sauteed mushrooms. And, I always love having homemade garlic bread to soak up the leftover sauce on my plate.
Does it have to be steamed spinach? Can I use fresh instead? (Dont have a microwave or stove) or can I omit the spinach altogether?
You can try with fresh, but it reduces down a lot once steamed which is part of how it fits neatly into the filling. You can also leave it out if you prefer.
Can I double the recipe? How long would the cook be? Feeding 10
To double this recipe, we suggest using a larger crockpot and the same cooking time. Overfilling a standard-sized crockpot can lead to unevenly cooked stuffed shells.
Hi! I wanted to make this recipe, looks delicious. If I wanted to add ground beef to it, would I cook the beef before or keep it raw? Also, would I season the beef? Not sure how it would work. Lastly, would I combine it with the cheese mixture or add it to the shells separately? Thanks!
Hi Amber, we recommend cooking the beef separately (seasoned with salt and pepper), then folding it into the cheese mixture before piping!
My hubby accidentally bought a package of jumbo shells, and we recently acquired a slow cooker. So I found this recipe, and made it the other day. It turned out so delicious! If I had to do it over again, I’d probably slice the spinach; it tended to clog up the works when piping it in. Stuffing the shells was a bit of a pain in the tookus, but this recipe is so good, I’ll simply use manicotti next time.
Thanks for sharing, Alley!
I pulsed the fresh baby spinach in the blender first and it was much easier to blend into the cheese mixture. Thanks for the tip
Great recipe, definitely use the piping method to fill the shells however if any of your shells are in the closed tightly position than piping won’t work. Someone else recommended par-boiling the shells, I would only use that method if half of the shells are closed too tightly to pipe. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
If I wanted to add sausage, what amount would you suggest?
A pound is good!
Sorry one more question. I’m running into an issue of finding jumbo shells, would manicotti work just as well?
Yes!
I made this recipe and it was so good! I added a lb of sausage and was luckily able to find the shells. I found it to make more shells than what it called for. I added more sauce and would add more next time, but I like things really saucy. Definitely will make again, it was perfect for the snow day!
Thanks for sharing!
I found the piping to be quick & easy… when you have to feed 8 people I don’t want to have to take extra steps!!! I do deviled eggs the same way. I plan on making this wonderful meal again, thank you Becky!!!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Deb!
I was wondering would cream cheese work because I don’t like ricotta cheese?
I don’t see an issue with that subsitution!
I am sorry to hear you do not like the method on the recipe, definitely modify it to your liking, Joe.
Serving size ??
28 is not evenly divisible by 8 ????
The shells can be cut in half!