Creamy Lemon Stuffed Shells with Cottage Cheese
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Recipe Intro From lisathompson
These creamy lemon stuffed shells are a bright spot during the winter when citrus season is at its peak. I had never substituted cottage cheese for ricotta cheese in my Italian-inspired recipes, but after seeing how delicious these stuffed shells turned out, I think I’ll start! The protein-packed cheese filling is brimming with fresh lemon flavor and a hint of basil. This recipe is suitable for a cozy family meal at home or for your next dinner party. There is almost nothing more annoying than having to fish out a rogue lemon seed from your recipe (except maybe biting into one!), but luckily Wonderful Seedless Lemons are here to streamline your cooking. They’re juicy, zesty, non-GMO, and absolutely seed-free.
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Recipe Card
For the Stuffed Shells
ingredients
- 12 ounces dried jumbo shells pasta
- 24 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta cheese (whole milk or low-fat, not no-fat)
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus more for the top
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Wonderful seedless lemons, zested and juiced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 8 ounces shredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese
- 4 fresh basil leaves, julienned
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
For the Lemon Basil Cream Sauce
ingredients
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Wonderful seedless lemons, zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 sprig fresh basil
Method
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the shells, reserving slightly more than 2 cups of pasta water for the sauce.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese or ricotta, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, eggs, garlic, ¾ of the shredded Fontina or mozzarella cheese, julienned basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and well combined.
Step 3
In the same pot used for the pasta, combine 2 cups of the reserved pasta water, heavy cream, and a sprig of basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.
Step 4
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, zest, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water. Whisk into the cream mixture and simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 6
Spread a thin layer of the cream sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture, then arrange the filled shells in the dish.
Step 7
Pour the remaining cream sauce evenly over the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded Fontina or mozzarella and a bit of grated Parmesan.
Step 8
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 9
Remove from the oven and garnish with additional fresh basil. Serve the stuffed shells hot and enjoy!