Description
A simple pasta dish featuring large shells tossed with a spicy tomato sauce, fresh basil, and topped with creamy whipped ricotta cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes and oregano. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the whipped ricotta. In a food processor, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and milk. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the fresh basil.
- Toss the cooked pasta shells with most of the tomato sauce, reserving some sauce for topping.
- Divide the sauced shells among serving bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of the whipped ricotta. Drizzle with any remaining sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute canned diced tomatoes for crushed tomatoes if you prefer a chunkier sauce.
- For extra flavor, roast the garlic before mincing it.
- If you do not have a food processor, whisk the ricotta mixture vigorously by hand until smooth.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 75
Keywords: pasta, shells, ricotta, tomato, basil, spicy, vegetarian, weeknight dinner