Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. While it's heating, take the diced red bell pepper, eggplant, and zucchini and spread them on a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Roast the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they’re tender and lightly caramelized, stirring once. When done, remove them from the oven and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions until they’re al dente. Once cooked, drain them and place them on a large plate or cutting board. This step is crucial to prevent them from sticking together.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, egg, ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, thawed spinach, roasted vegetables, basil, and oregano. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper to taste.
Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell generously with the roasted vegetable ricotta mixture and place them carefully in the baking dish.
Cover the stuffed shells with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the top. This will create a deliciously gooey topping.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. After that, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the sauce bubbles, which should take another 10 to 15 minutes.
Once it’s done, garnish with fresh basil if desired, and serve warm. You’ll be amazed at how delightful this dish looks and smells!
For easier filling, you can fill a gallon ziplock bag with the roasted veggie ricotta filling and cut a corner off the bag. This method allows you to pipe the filling into the shells easily.
The stuffed shells freeze wonderfully. I recommend baking the pan, letting them cool, and then placing them in a freezer container. Reheat them when you're ready to enjoy!
