High Protein Stuffed Shells

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375F. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce out on the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily salt the water. Once boiling, add the pasta shells and cook until al-dente (about 1 minute less than what's listed on the package). Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking and sticking.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add a bit of olive oil. Then, add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, until turning translucent and tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Step 4

Then, add ground turkey, italian seasoning, salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking apart, until the ground turkey is browned and almost fully done through.

Step 5

Add frozen spinach and cook for a few more minutes until the spinach has thawed and wilted. If there seems to be a lot of excess liquid in the pan, drain it off. Transfer ground turkey mixture to a large bowl and let it cool slightly.

Step 6

In another large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, HALF of the mozzarella (1 cup), parmesan and more salt. Then, add the slightly cooled turkey mixture and stir until incorporated.

Step 7

Use a spoon to add the filling mixture to the cooked pasta shells. Then, place them into the baking dish. Add the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells and then sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.

Step 8

Transfer baking dish to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. At the end, switch it to broil for a few more minutes. Garnish with chopped basil and enjoy!