Pesto Turkey Stuffed Shells Recipe

Step 1

Bring  a large saucepan of water to a boil over highheat. Salt generously. Add the pasta shells and cook according to packagedirections, until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground turkey to the skillet, and season with the oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through. Stir in the spinach and remove from the heat.

Step 4

Place the cottage cheese in a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Step 5

Transfer the cottage cheese to a large bowl and stir in the pesto. Add the turkey mixture. Stir until combined with the pesto cottage cheese.

Step 6

Fill each shell with 2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then spread ¾ cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish.

Step 8

Arrange the stuffed pasta shells, open side up, in the baking dish. Spread the remaining 1 ½ cup marinara sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Step 9

Cover with foil and bake until the marinara sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the Parmesan cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve.