We love these simple stuffed mussels with sausage and spinach. The combination of ground sausage (pork or chicken), spinach, ricotta cheese and tomatoes creates such a delicious dish. Every person we’ve ever served these to has fallen in love with these sausage-stuffed mussels. It’s an absolutely amazing pasta recipe that never disappoints!
Related: If you love stuffed mussels recipes, try our mussels stuffed with cheese and vegetables
How to make bowls filled with sausage
When we first prepared these stuffed mussels, I stepped away from the table only to return to find that Adam had already devoured at least half the mussels on his own. It was at that precise moment that we realized that this stuffed mussels recipe absolutely needs to be shared with you. These are remarkably easy to make and lend themselves well to prep. (We’ve rounded up some helpful tips for preparing ahead of time below).
Let me quickly walk you through making these seashells – a detailed recipe can be found below. The first step is to cook the pasta shells yourself. Look for larger clams and cook them in salted water. You can find the cooking time on the package (usually around 10 minutes).
We I recommend reducing the cooking time by a minute or two, resulting in slightly undercooked skins. This is not a problem, because they only turn out perfectly if they are filled with our sausage mixture and baked.
The The sausage filling is made from sausage, spinach, tomatoes and ricotta cheese. In the photo below we used pork sausage, but chicken or turkey sausage can also be used. After the sausage has browned, we add diced canned tomatoes and some thawed, dry-squeezed spinach.
As soon as the sausage is cooked and the liquid in the pan has reduced a little, we stir in the ricotta cheese. The amount of ricotta used is less than when making bowls filled with cheese. We like it that way because we want the sausage to really shine in these bowls.
The final step is to fill each bowl with the sausage mixture, sprinkle cheese on top and bake until the cheese melts and the tops of the pasta shells turn golden brown.
Related: This Stuffed Mussels recipe is included in our list of 24 Must-Try Pasta Recipes
Make tips for the future
The filling can be done in advance and should keep for up to 3 days in the fridge and about 3 months in the freezer. To store the filling, we recommend using freezer-safe glass containers or double-layer freezer bags. Leave in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Baked mussels freeze well. Before freezing, let them cool completely on a rack, then wrap tightly in foil (we use two layers). Thaw the frozen shells in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until heated through.
Stuffed and unbaked mussels can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Cover the unbaked stuffed mussels with foil and bake them in a 350 degree F oven the next day.
Sausage shells filled with spinach
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PREPARATION
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COOK
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IN TOTAL
The filling of these lightly filled mussels holds up well. These are great for dinner or finger food. Which sausage you choose is up to you. Chicken or turkey sausage instead of pork sausage would be great. If you opt for a sausage with less fat, add some oil to the pan before browning. When preparing stuffed mussels, add a few more dried pasta shells to the water than you need, as some of them will crack. The filling for this recipe should fill about 16 bowls.
Makes about 5 servings
you will need
20 giant dried noodle bowls
1 pound fresh pork sausage, skinned (see note)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (about 1 1/4 cups)
4 ounces ricotta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (about 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Warm marinara sauce for serving (optional)
directions
- Prepare mussels
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta shells, then follow the package directions for cooking the shells. Drain and then rinse the shells with cold water.
3Meanwhile, heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. While the sausage is cooking, use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into small pieces in the pan.
4Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, and thawed and chopped spinach. Cook until heated through and the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- End
1Fill each bowl with sausage filling and place in the casserole dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Bake until tops of shells begin to brown and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Serve with a warm marinara sauce (optional).
Adam and Joanne’s tips
- Depending on the store, you can find sausage in large quantities. If this is not possible and you want to buy sausage cut into chunks instead, remove the casing by cutting a slit in the sausage and peeling the casing away from the meat.
- Cooked fresh spinach can be substituted for frozen. Cook about 1 pound of fresh spinach until wilted, squeeze out excess moisture and add to the filling.
- The filling can be prepared in advance and should last up to 3 days in the fridge and about 3 months in the freezer. We recommend using freezer safe glass containers or double freezer bags. Leave in the fridge overnight to thaw.
- Baked mussels freeze well. Before freezing, let them cool completely on a rack, then wrap tightly in foil (we use two layers). Thaw the frozen shells in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until heated through.
- Stuffed and unbaked mussels can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Cover the unbaked stuffed mussels with foil and bake them in a 350 degree F oven the next day.
- Nutritional Information: The nutritional information below is an estimate. We used the USDA Supertracker Recipe Calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with the hashtag #inspiredtaste – we love to see your creations Instagram And Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutritional value per serving
calories
625
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protein
33g
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carbohydrate
32g
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fiber
7g
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total sugar
8g
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total fat
30g
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Saturated Fatty Acids
13g
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cholesterol
86 mg
Recipe updated originally posted December 2011. Since posting in 2011 we have tweaked the recipe to make it clearer. – Adam and Joanne