Vegan Stuffed Shells

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Created On: December 1, 2022 | By Debbie | 1 Remark

This vegan stuffed shells recipe transforms the normal consolation meals dish crammed with cheese right into a yummy meal that anybody can get pleasure from! You’ll make a fast tofu ricotta for these jumbo shells after which prime together with your favourite pasta sauce and a vegan mozzarella.

You will love this vegan-ized model of the traditional consolation meals recipe, stuffed shells! We love serving this when the climate is chilly throughout the fall and winter months. It’s makes for a scrumptious and comparatively simple meal when paired with a easy steamed vegetable on the facet or a salad like this lemony kale caesar.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

There’s no chopping concerned on this recipe! Love after I don’t have to clean my chopping board.
In contrast to plenty of stuffed shells recipes, the tofu ricotta for these shells wants no cashews.
Nice for meal prep since one recipe can feed a crowd and leftovers reheat effectively. I like packing these in my lunch for work.
Freezer pleasant so excellent if you wish to save leftovers for future use.
This recipe is vegan, dairy free, egg free, nut free, and might simply be made gluten free too.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

vegan stuffed shells ingredients in bowls with labels.

Jumbo pasta shells: Probably the most tedious a part of making shells is the stuffing. Save your self some headache by utilizing jumbo sized shells. I exploit about 20 shells for this recipe since that matches effectively in my 8″x11″ baking dish. Make sure that to cook dinner a number of further shells in case some break!
Pasta sauce: Use your favourite jarred or canned pasta sauce to make this recipe even less complicated. You would additionally use a do-it-yourself sauce in case you choose – my small batch tomato sauce can be scrumptious with these!
Tofu: Agency or further agency tofu is finest for the do-it-yourself spinach ricotta for these shells. No have to press it for this recipe, the additional moisture is required for the ricotta. For a shortcut, you would buy a vegan ricotta. There are a number of totally different ones one the market now, however I haven’t had the possibility to strive any out.
Dietary Yeast: Provides some “cheesiness” to the vegan ricotta stuffing.
Crimson Wine Vinegar: Provides some acidity to the ricotta to steadiness out the flavour. You can even use contemporary squeezed lemon juice.
Spinach: For simplicity, I used thawed frozen spinach for the filling. You would additionally use contemporary spinach (one 5 oz bag for this recipe) – simply add to a skillet with a little bit olive oil and sauté till wilted. You need to keep away from utilizing uncooked spinach within the filling as a result of it may possibly get too watery when baking.
Vegan Cheese: Crank up the consolation issue with some vegan mozzarella sprinkled on prime of the shells earlier than baking. I actually just like the vegan mozzarella shreds from VioLife as they soften properly. You can even add some vegan parmesan too – right here’s my favourite do-it-yourself vegan parmesan recipe!

See recipe card under for a full checklist of elements and measurements.

Step by Step

Step One: Deliver a big pot of generously salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add shells and cook dinner to al dente in line with bundle instructions. (Mine took about 8 minutes for jumbo shells).

Step Two: In the meantime, make your tofu ricotta by including the tofu, dietary yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crimson wine vinegar to a meals processor. Puree till clean. Stir in thawed frozen spinach and put aside.

vegan tofu ricotta in bowl with thawed spinach stirred in.

Step Three: Add frozen spinach to the microwave to thaw. Add ricotta to the thawed spinach and stir.

thin layer of sauce and pasta shells in baking dish.

Step 4: Add 1/2 cup of sauce to the underside of your baking dish. Fill together with your cooked shells. (I used about 20 jumbo shells.)

shells in baking dish filled with tofu ricotta.

Step 5: Use a spoon or a piping bag to fill every shell with the tofu ricotta.

stuffed shells, sauce, and cheese in baking dish before baking.

Step Six: Spoon the remainder of the sauce over the shells and sprinkle with vegan shredded mozzarella cheese. Cowl with foil and bake.

baked stuffed shells in baking dish garnished with fresh parsley.

Step Seven: Garnish with chopped parsley or basil to serve.

Stuffed Shells Ideas:

Stuff the shells extra effectively: Filling your shells with the ricotta can get a bit messy so do that trick! Add your tofu ricotta to a piping bag or gallon measurement Ziplock bag with one of many corners lower off. You’ll be able to then simply pipe the filling into the shells.
Prepare dinner a number of further shells: Regardless of how mild you attempt to be, a number of of your shells will seemingly break when cooking. I usually throw in an additional 5 shells or so when cooking simply in case.
Cowl your shells: You’ll need to cowl your stuffed shells with aluminum foil for the primary a part of the baking time in order that they don’t get too crispy/crunchy. You can even keep away from crisp edges by evenly spooning the sauce excessive of the shells earlier than baking.

What to serve with Vegan Stuffed Shells

Serve these vegan shells with a salad, steamed veggies, or roasted veggies. Whereas the shells are baking, it’s simple sufficient to steam a little bit of broccoli or inexperienced beans on the stovetop. You would even roast a pan of veggies within the oven concurrently the shells. We love this oven roasted cabbage recipe. There are such a lot of nice salad choices that may be scrumptious! Listed here are a number of of my favorites for pairing with these stuffed shells: kale apple walnut salad, lemon kale caesar salad, white bean pesto salad with arugula, strawberry spinach salad.

Make Forward and Storage

Make Forward: Put together shells as directed within the recipe till the baking step. Wrap tightly and retailer within the fridge for 1-2 days earlier than baking. You can even freeze for as much as 3 months till you’re able to bake. To bake from frozen, add an additional 20-Half-hour to the baking time.
Fridge: Permit leftover cooked shells to chill to room temperature earlier than storing within the fridge lined or in an hermetic container. Leftovers will hold for as much as 3 days. To reheat, add single portion to the microwave and cook dinner till scorching. You can even reheat the entire dish within the oven at 350 levels for 10-Quarter-hour or till warmed by.
Freezer: Permit cooked shells to chill to room temperature after which retailer within the baking dish after wrapping it tightly or switch particular person parts in containers to freeze. Shells will be frozen for as much as 3 months.

Recipe FAQs

How do I make stuffed shells gluten free?

Make this recipe gluten free with only one swap – use gluten free pasta as an alternative of conventional pasta shells.

Do it’s important to boil the pasta shells earlier than baking?

As you’ll see within the recipe card under, we advocate cooking the shells to al dente earlier than baking. There may be not sufficient liquid for the shells to cook dinner whereas within the oven in order that they have to be boiled first. Make sure that to cook dinner till al dente (about 1-2 minutes lower than the complete cook dinner time on the bundle).

How do I thaw the frozen spinach?

I simply pop the frozen spinach for the shell filling within the microwave for a minute or two to thaw. Squeeze or drain off any extra moisture if wanted earlier than including the spinach to your ricotta filling. You can even add the frozen spinach to a advantageous mesh strainer and run below scorching water till thawed.

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Created by: Deborah Murphy

This vegan stuffed shells recipe transforms the normal consolation meals dish crammed with cheese right into a yummy meal that anybody can get pleasure from! You will make a fast tofu ricotta for these jumbo shells after which prime together with your favourite pasta sauce and a vegan mozzarella.

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Directions

Prepare dinner the Shells

Deliver water to boil in a big pot. Add the pasta and cook dinner in line with bundle instructions. When completed, drain by a colander, rinse below chilly water, and set cooked pasta apart.

Make the Ricotta

Add the tofu, dietary yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a meals processor and mix till clean. Switch to a bowl and stir within the thawed spinach and crimson wine vinegar.

Meeting

In a 8″x11″ baking dish, pour in 1/2 cup of the sauce and unfold evenly within the pan. Organize shells on prime of the sauce. Stuff every shell with ~1 heaping tablespoon of cheese filling. Repeat till you have stuffed all of the shells and run out of cheese filling.
Sprinkle with the shredded vegan mozzarella if utilizing.
Cowl the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Take away the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Serve!

Notes

To thaw frozen spinach: add to the microwave for a minute or two to thaw. Squeeze or drain off any extra moisture if wanted earlier than including the spinach to your ricotta filling. You can even add the frozen spinach to a advantageous mesh strainer and run below scorching water till thawed.
Selfmade sauce: Try my small batch tomato sauce.
Crimson Wine Vinegar Various: One tablespoon contemporary squeezed lemon juice can be utilized within the ricotta as an alternative of crimson wine vinegar.
Leftovers: Leftovers will be saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Shells will be frozen for as much as 3 months.

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