Over the years, I’ve heard so many people say that fat-free ricotta cheese doesn’t taste good. Although I agree that many dishes made with it don’t, this is definitely not one of them.

In fact, this is one of the dishes I serve to friends who claim they’d never eat lower-fat food, because it fools them every time. It’s the perfect dish for entertaining — and I know, because I’ve served it time and time again.

Classic Stuffed Shells

Better-Than-Classic Stuffed Shells

Fat-free ricotta shells that fool even the biggest skeptics — perfect for entertaining.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 or 6-12 portions
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 dried jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 4 ounces (about 1-1/4 cups) finely shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • 3 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan, divided
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cups Mostly Mom’s Marinara Sauce or other low-fat, low-sodium marinara sauce

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, only until al dente. Drain and reserve.
  3. Lay a sheet of wax paper large enough to hold 12 filled shells on a flat work surface.
  4. Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg white, parsley, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Place the cooked shells, open side up, on the wax paper. Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly among them, about 2 heaping tablespoons in each.
  6. Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce in a 10-inch round or 11×7-inch baking dish. Lay the stuffed shells side by side, open side up, in the dish. Spoon the remaining marinara over the top, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly over that.
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Makes 12 shells; 4 servings, or 6 or 12 portions.
1 shell: 99 calories, 7g protein, 14g carbohydrates, 2g fat, trace saturated fat, 9mg cholesterol, 2g fiber, 205mg sodium. 3 shells: 296 calories, 20g protein, 43g carbohydrates, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 26mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 615mg sodium.
Recipe taken from Devin Alexander’s THE MOST DECADENT DIET EVER! Copyright © 2008 by Devin Alexander published by Broadway Books, a division of Random House Inc. Photo credit: Theresa Raffetto.

This recipe calls for Mostly Mom’s Marinara Sauce — get the full recipe here.

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