These Powerhouse Stuffed Shells are one of those recipes that make you feel like you actually have your life together. Cozy, cheesy, packed with protein, and honestly way easier than they look.

This recipe is originally from my cookbook More Protein, which I created because I wanted women to have meals that actually support their goals while still tasting comforting and satisfying. I was so tired of the idea that eating more protein had to mean dry chicken, boring salads, or spending hours meal prepping sad containers of food. These stuffed shells are the exact opposite of that energy.

They’re filled with a creamy mixture of cottage cheese, tofu, spinach, basil, eggs, and mozzarella that gets baked into the dreamiest high-protein comfort food situation. Even people who “don’t like tofu” usually have no idea it’s in there because it blends so perfectly into the filling and adds an extra protein boost without changing the flavor.

As a dietitian, one of the biggest things I try to teach women is that protein can feel cozy too. You can absolutely eat meals that are warm, nostalgic, cheesy, satisfying, and still aligned with your health goals. These feel like classic stuffed shells but upgraded into a version that actually keeps you full.

I also love this recipe because it works so well for:

• meal prep
• feeding a family
• freezing for later
• bringing to a friend
• cozy Sunday cooking
• weeknight leftovers

The marinara gets bubbly and rich in the oven, the cheese melts perfectly, and the basil + spinach make everything taste fresh and balanced instead of heavy.

This is truly one of those recipes that feels like a hug in food form.

Powerhouse Stuffed Shells Recipe

Ingredients

• Marinara sauce (about 2 cups total)
• 1 (12 oz) package pasta shells
• 1 package extra firm tofu, shredded
• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 16 oz cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Handful of fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×11 casserole dish.
2. Cook pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add shredded tofu and sauté for 5–6 minutes.
4. Add chopped spinach and sauté another 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
5. In a food processor or blender, combine cottage cheese, eggs, salt, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder. Blend until creamy.
6. In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese mixture, tofu mixture, and mozzarella cheese.
7. Spread about 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
8. Stuff each shell with the filling mixture and place face-up in the dish.
9. Spoon a little remaining marinara sauce over each shell.
10. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.