vegan stuffed shells

A classic tasting dairy-free stuffed shell recipe made with tofu ricotta and spinach.

Vegan Stuffed Shells

pasta shells ((gluten-free if necessary))

tofu

yeast

olive oil

salt

garlic

basil (or other fresh herbs

black pepper

soy milk (or water if needed to thin the ricotta)

spinach (or 2 cups wilted spinach

26 oz jar pasta sauce

vegan mozzarella (to sprinkle on top (optional))

cheese

Cook jumbo shells in salted boiling water for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. (It's better to slightly undercook them than overcook them.  They will continue to cook a little more when you bake them).

Make the Pasta

Drain and press the tofu to get out as much liquid as possible.

Add tofu, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper to your food processor.  Blend for about 1-2 minutes until smooth.  (Add a splash of plain soy milk if needed to make it a ricotta texture.

Heat 2 cups of frozen spinach until thawed. (You can use a microwave or stovetop)  Once it has thawed, put into a colander, set in the sink, and press the spinach with a spatula to squeeze the liquid out of it.

Add thawed and drained spinach to the ricotta mixture and blend again for a few seconds.  (You can blend for another minute or two to get the spinach finely chopped for picky kids or you can stir the spinach in if you want it to remain more whole).

While the shells are boiling, make the tofu ricotta

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).  It should be ready by the time you finish filling the shells.

Fill the cooked jumbo shells with the tofu ricotta mixture (About 2 tbsp. in each shell) and place them into a large baking dish.  (Hold the shell putting pressure on both ends so that it opens up to fill it).

Pour a jar of marinara sauce over the shells ( You can also place the stuffed shells on a bed of sauce).

Assemble the shells

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (177°C).

Top with vegan mozzarella cheese, cover again and bake for another 20 minutes.

Remove foil and bake the shells for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly in the center.  (I bake them uncovered at the end to make them a little crispy on the edges.  If you don&#039;t want that, you can bake them covered the whole time).

Garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley and serve hot.

Bake the stuffed shells

<em>These vegan stuffed shells are made from simple ingredients but don't fall short on creamy, cheesy flavor! Perfect for a special occasion or holiday meal. </em>

The Best Vegan Stuffed Shells

oz jumbo pasta shells (gluten-free or regular)

Vegan Ricotta, below

(13 g) loosely packed fresh basil, chopped

block organic firm or extra firm tofu

cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours

nutritional yeast

lemon

Italian seasoning blend

tsp pink himalayan salt

black pepper,

Par-cook the

 pasta: most jumbo shell packages will have cooking instructions for stuffed shells, but if not, cut the cooking time of the pasta in half, then add two minutes. Make sure to cook the shells in a large pot with plenty of (salted) water and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the noodles have finished cooking, carefully drain them and rinse with cold water, then lie each shell out on a clean baking tray to prevent sticking.

Make the Ricotta

by adding all ingredients to a food processor and processing until smooth and creamy, 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and fold in the freshly chopped basil, reserving a few leaves to sprinkle on top after the shells bake.

Stuff the

 Shells: add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the base of a 9 x 13&#8243; pan and spread it around evenly with a spatula. Use a spoon, cookie dough scoop, or piping bag to fill each shell, gently close it, then place it cut side-up in the pan. The amount of ricotta needed will vary on the size of the shell; I used gluten-free shells and used around 2 tablespoons for each shell.

Cover

the shells with the remaining marinara and parmesan cheese, if using, then bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Top with additional fresh basil, then serve warm.

Loved this recipe! The vegan ricotta is so good - had to resist eating it with a spoon. Took it along with a SAD version to a holiday pot luck and the vegan version was gone first. I made my own marinara sauce and I used a hemp seed/nutritional yeast vegan parmesan recipe for the topping. Yummy! Thank you Caitlin. Your recipes never disappoint!

This recipe is amazing ???????? I loved it, my non vegan family loved it!

Delicious! I added mushrooms to the sauce and ricotta mixture, and added spinach to the ricotta as well. Turned out amazing!! Thank you Caitlin ❤️

I made this recipe for a holiday potluck. Everyone loved it, even my non-veggie friends! I will definitely be making these stuffed shells again.

This was absolutely delicious! We added some mushrooms in the marinara sauce before putting it in the baking dish and my non-vegan family loved it. Thanks Caitlin for another amazing recipe &lt;3

Amazing recipe! Turned out great. Highly recommend!

This meal was DIVINE! Caitlin thank you for putting so much time into each recipe, the quality shows! I made it for Valentine’s Day and my boyfriend loved it:)

You&#x27;re going to love these vegan stuffed shells.  They are filled with herbed cashew ricotta and fresh spinach and topped with a marinara sauce for a classic plant-based pasta dish that the whole family will love.

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Cashew Ricotta

Cashew Ricotta

extra-firm tofu, (crumbled)

oregano

salt and pepper, (to taste)

parsley, (minced)

spinach, (minced)

pepper

pasta shells

marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the jumbo shells according to packaged directions. Strain through the water when shells are al dente. Do not overcook as they will become too tender to stuff. Allow shells to cool while preparing the filling.

In a food processor blend together the ingredients for the Cashew Ricotta until it begins to resemble ricotta cheese. Add tofu, oregano, salt, and pepper and blend until evenly incorporated. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in parsley and spinach and set aside.

Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into a 9x13 baking pan. To stuff shells, gently press the top and the bottom with your fingers so that shells open width-wise. Spoon in 2 heaping tablespoons of spinach ricotta filling and place in the pan on top of the marinara sauce. Repeat until all the filling is gone. It should fill about 20 shells. Top with remaining marinara sauce.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until sauce is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow shells to cool slightly before serving.

Serve with vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.

Vegan Stuffed Shells make the perfect Italian comfort food! This easy-to-make stuffed shells recipe delivers big smiles and full bellies when served up for meals. It’s definitely a vegan baked pasta dish the whole family loves.

(12-ounce) package of jumbo pasta shells

(16-ounce) block of extra-firm tofu (pressed)

onion

¼ cup of packed fresh basil leaves

¾ teaspoon of ground black pepper

red chili pepper flakes (optional)

spinach leaves

vegan cheese shreds (optional)

basil leaves,

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the prebake cooking directions on the package. Then drain, rinse with cold water to prevent sticking, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the tofu, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, red chili pepper flakes (if using), nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Pulse 15 times or until partially mixed. Add the spinach and pulse just a few more times until combined. The resulting texture should be ricotta­like. Do not overpulse or your ricotta will turn green!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pour half of the marinara sauce into a 9 × 13 ­inch baking dish, spreading to evenly coat the bottom of the dish.

One by one, fill each cooked shell with a generous spoonful of the tofu ricotta filling and place in the prepared baking dish. Continue until the tofu mixture is gone and the baking dish is filled. Sprinkle the vegan cheese (if using) on top.

Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the vegan cheese (if using) is melted and the edges of the shells are lightly browned. Garnish with the basil leaves (if using). Serve immediately and enjoy hot.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1661527501/iMu0h8RZI.mp4

Once you make this fresh pasta dish, it'll be one that you'll forever go back to each week! It uses very simple ingredients and is surprisingly easy to prepare.

It&#39;s Fall and time for pumpkin everything! This sweet and savory pumpkin stuffed shells dish is easier to make than you&#39;d expect and tastes even better the next day.

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells With Sage Cream

large shells

extra firm tofu, (pressed)

basil

Pepper

cornstarch

lemon juice

½ teaspoon of smoked paprika

nutmeg

1/16 teaspoon of ground cloves

(16 pumpkin

maple syrup

cashews

¼ cup of chopped fresh sage

miso paste

garlic powder

plant-based milk

Cook shells according to package instructions, drain and set aside.

For the Tofu Ricotta: Add all tofu, nutritional yeast, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, cornstarch and water, and lemon juice together, combine, and set aside.

For the Pumpkin Filling: Combine the paprika, salt, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin, and maple syrup, and set aside.

Fill shells with tofu ricotta and pumpkin fillings then put in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. While that cooks, make your sage cream.

For the Sage Cashew Cream: Blend cashews, sage, miso paste, garlic powder, and plant-based milk until smooth and set aside.

Once shells are done, drizzle with sage cashew cream.

These Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells are baked in a rich and creamy vegetable sauce and stuffed with a healthy homemade vegan ricotta filling. Indulge in this classic comfort food made with a seasonal twist! Vegan, Gluten-Free &amp; Oil-Free Option.

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

butternut squash

shallots

tsp kosher salt

black pepper (to taste)

olive oil (for drizzling)

raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours)

butternut squash (above)

shallots and garlic (above)

olive oil (optional;

cinnamon (optional)

vegetable broth

full-fat oat or cashew milk

salt and black pepper (to taste)

jumbo pasta shells (gluten-free if necessary)

Vegan Ricotta (above)

spinach

tbsp finely chopped rosemary

dairy-free mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 425F. Set two baking sheets aside and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F. Set two baking sheets aside and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Cut the top 1/4” off of the head of garlic to expose most of the cloves. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil, then drizzle with oil and wrap it up to seal it tightly. Add the butternut squash and shallots to the baking sheet and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Use your hands to toss until evenly coated, then spread the vegetables out evenly on the baking sheet. Add the foil-wrapped garlic to the baking sheet as well. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the squash and shallots halfway through cooking. 

Roast the Vegetables: Cut the top 1/4” off of the head of garlic to expose most of the cloves. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil, then drizzle with oil and wrap it up to seal it tightly. Add the butternut squash and shallots to the baking sheet and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Use your hands to toss until evenly coated, then spread the vegetables out evenly on the baking sheet. Add the foil-wrapped garlic to the baking sheet as well. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the squash and shallots halfway through cooking. 

In the meantime, add the pasta shells to the boiling pot of water and cook following the pre-boil or stuffed shell instructions, stirring occasionally. If the package does not have instructions, cut the cooking time of the pasta in half, then add two minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spread the shells across a baking sheet in a single layer to prevent sticking.

Cook the Pasta:  In the meantime, add the pasta shells to the boiling pot of water and cook following the pre-boil or stuffed shell instructions, stirring occasionally. If the package does not have instructions, cut the cooking time of the pasta in half, then add two minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spread the shells across a baking sheet in a single layer to prevent sticking.

add the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor with the S-blade attached. Process for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping the sides as necessary, until a smooth texture forms. Set aside.

Make the Ricotta:add the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor with the S-blade attached. Process for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping the sides as necessary, until a smooth texture forms. Set aside.

add only ⅓ (roughly 2/3 cup) of the roasted butternut squash to a blender along with the roasted shallots. Carefully remove the garlic bulb from the tin foil and squeeze the cloves into the blender as well. Add the cashews, oil (if using), cinnamon, black pepper, broth, and milk to the blender. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, or until a smooth sauce forms. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt or pepper if necessary.

Blend the Sauce: add only ⅓ (roughly ½ cup; 75 g) of the roasted butternut squash to a blender along with the roasted shallots. Carefully remove the garlic bulb from the tin foil and squeeze the cloves into the blender as well. Add the cashews, oil (if using), cinnamon, black pepper, broth, and milk to the blender. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, or until a smooth sauce forms. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt or pepper if necessary.

place the prepared ricotta in a large mixing bowl and add in the remaining roasted butternut squash, spinach, rosemary, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix well with a spatula until everything is evenly incorporated.

Make the filling: place the prepared ricotta in a large mixing bowl and add in the remaining roasted butternut squash, spinach, rosemary, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix well with a spatula until everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour 2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each cooked shell with ~1 tablespoon of filling, then place in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining shells, then pour the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle the cheese over the tops of the shells, if using. 

Stuff the shells: Pour 2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Fill each cooked shell with ~1 tablespoon of filling, then place in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining shells, then pour the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle the cheese over the tops of the shells, if using. 

Bake in the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted.

Bake: Bake in the top rack of the oven for 20-25 (?) minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted. 

The classic ricotta stuffed shells dish made vegan! This plant-based version is just as delicious, satisfying, and comforting! These vegan stuffed shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach filling and baked in plenty of marinara sauce!

Vegan Stuffed Shells (With Spinach and Ricotta)

vegan ricotta

spinach (roughly chopped)

tsp black pepper

tsp salt

thyme

basil (optional, chopped)

Jumbo shells

marinara sauce (or passata sauce)

Add the vegan ricotta, chopped spinach, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, black pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, and fresh basil, if using, to a mixing bowl.

Stir to combine and taste to adjust the saltiness to your liking. Set aside.

Ricotta Filling

Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200°C).

Cook the shells. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells for about 10 minutes. Depending on the brand, you might have to adjust the cooking time. The shells should be al dente, even slightly under-cooked, as they will be baked later.

Once the shells are ready, drain them and rinse them under water. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. This will prevent the shells from sticking to each other.

Stuff the shells. Using a spoon, fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling.

Assemble. Pour the marinara or passata sauce into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Arrange the shells, seam up, in the baking dish, over the marinara sauce. 

Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Next, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and serve hot with a salad on the side.

Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells. This is something new for my family this weekend. Thank you for sharing.

gorgeous photo! Can't wait to start trying to make vegan cheeses...i'm so darn allergic to dairy! Thanks for this!!

Top 7 vegan stuffed shells recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegan stuffed shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Vegan Stuffed Shells

The Best Vegan Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Cashew Ri...

Vegan Stuffed Shells

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells With Sage Cr...

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells (With Spinach ...

Top 7 vegan stuffed shells recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegan stuffed shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Vegan Stuffed Shells

The Best Vegan Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Cashew Ri...

Vegan Stuffed Shells

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells With Sage Cr...

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells (With Spinach ...

The most viewed vegan stuffed shells recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine