Sausage and Spinach (if desired) Stuffed Shells

This week I have had such a taste for pasta dishes so in researching I came across this recipe in my friend's blog. I am so glad that I tried it because they were so yummy. My husband does not like spinach so I stuffed half of the shells with the sausage spinach mixture and half with just the sausage mixture. So, if you are not a fan of spinach I still definitely recommend making this dish because it was delicious both ways. The only thing I would change next time is slightly reducing the amount of salt. Also, this recipe makes a ton so it is perfect for left overs and if desired I am sure it would freeze (if you use frozen spinach they recommend not re-freezing) perfectly for a later use. This recipe will not disappoint :)

Sausage and Spinach (if desired) Stuffed Shells

With Spinach:

Without Spinach:

1 12-oz package jumbo pasta shells
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (if desired; I only used 1/2 of the spinach since I was stuffing only 1/2 of the shells)
1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt water and cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage to the pan, and cook through breaking into smaller pieces.  
5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Remove from the heat.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta, spinach (if desired; I added the spinach very last after I added the sausage mixture), 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, basil, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  
7. Add the cooked sausage mixture to the bowl and stir until evenly mixed. After completely mixed I seperated the mixture into two separate bowls and then added the spinach to one bowl and mixed well.
8. Spread a thin layer of the chopped tomatoes in a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with some of the sausage and cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dishes, open side up.  
9. Spread the remaining tomatoes with liquid over the top of the pasta shells.
10. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling.  
11. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. 

Recipe from my friend Amy's Blog