American Cuisine, Italian Cuisine, Main Dishes
Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe With Ricotta & Spinach
If you’re looking for a hearty and delicious vegan recipe, look no further than this Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe with spinach and “ricotta” filling. Made with plant-based ingredients, this recipe is perfect for vegans, those with dairy allergies, or anyone looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet.
Made with a creamy, savory cashew-tofu spinach ricotta filling and flavorful pasta sauce, this dish is a vegan spin on the classic spinach and ricotta recipe. The recipe is easy to follow and can be prepared in no time. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or as a special occasion dish.
Ingredients & Substitutions For This Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe
The key ingredients for this recipe are the jumbo shells, marinara sauce, and the spinach ricotta filling. For the filling, you will need raw cashews, firm tofu, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, water, salt, Italian spice, and spinach.
The use of raw cashews and tofu creates a creamy and protein-packed ricotta-like filling without any dairy. Nutritional yeast gives the filling a cheesy flavor, while fresh lemon juice adds a tangy and bright note. The spinach not only adds a pop of green color but also provides a healthy dose of iron and other vitamins.
To assemble the stuffed shells, start by boiling the jumbo shells until they are al dente. Then, stuff each shell with the spinach ricotta mixture and bake them in marinara sauce until they are hot and bubbly. This recipe is a delicious and satisfying way to enjoy a plant-based and dairy-free version of classic stuffed shells.
Helpful Tools
- Food processor or blender
- Large pot for boiling water
- Casserole dish
- Oven
How to Make This Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe
To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the jumbo shells. Cook them for 7-10 minutes until they are al dente. Once they are cooked, drain them and rinse with cold water. Set them aside, and keep in mind that some shells may break, but you only need about 3/4 of the package for this recipe.
Next, it’s time to make the vegan spinach ricotta filling. Start by adding the raw cashews to a food processor or blender and blend them until they are finely ground. Then, add the rest of the ricotta ingredients (excluding the spinach) to the food processor or blender. You can also add some optional lemon zest at this point. Blend everything together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Once the filling is ready, add the spinach to the food processor or blender and blend it until it is well combined with the other ingredients.
In a large casserole dish, spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly. Take each jumbo shell and scoop about 2 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta filling into it. Then, place each shell open-side up into the baking dish. Repeat this step with the remaining shells and filling until all of the ingredients have been used up.
Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the shells are heated through.
Once the stuffed shells are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then, serve and enjoy these delicious dairy-free stuffed shells with spinach & “ricotta” filling.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks that can help you make the best plant-based Stuffed Ricotta Spinach Shells possible:
- Be gentle when handling the jumbo shells, as they can easily break.
- You can make the spinach ricotta filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the stuffed shells.
- Feel free to experiment with different marinara sauces or add additional spices to customize the flavor to your liking.
- Optional to add some vegan parmesan cheese as a topping
FAQ: Vegan Stuffed Shells Ricotta Spinach
The stuffed shells can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Use conchiglie pasta noodles, also known as shell-shaped pasta, for the Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe. Their hollow centers make them perfect for holding the vegan ricotta filling. You can find conchiglie in different sizes, such as conchigliette and conchiglioni, in most grocery stores. They all have the same shape, but different dimensions.
Yes, you can use frozen spinach. Just make sure to thaw and drain it well before adding it to the ricotta mixture.
Vegan Stuffed Shells With Spinach & “Ricotta” Filling
Ingredients
Vegan Stuffed Shells
- 1 12-ounce package jumbo shells
- 3 cups Marinara sauce
Spinach Ricotta
- 2 cups Raw cashews
- 1 14-Ounce Firm tofu
- ½ cup Nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup Fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon) and some zest (optional)
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Italian spice
- 3-4 cups Spinach
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the jumbo shells. Cook them for 7-10 minutes until they are al dente. Once they are cooked, drain them and rinse with cold water. Set them aside, and keep in mind that some shells may break, but you only need about 3/4 of the package for this recipe.
- Next, it's time to make the spinach ricotta filling. Start by adding the raw cashews to a food processor or blender and blend them until they are finely ground. Then, add the rest of the ricotta ingredients (excluding the spinach) to the food processor or blender. You can also add some optional lemon zest at this point. Blend everything together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Once the filling is ready, add the spinach to the food processor or blender and blend it until it is well combined with the other ingredients.
- In a large casserole dish, spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly. Take each jumbo shell and scoop about 2 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta filling into it. Then, place each shell open-side up into the baking dish. Repeat this step with the remaining shells and filling until all of the ingredients have been used up.
- Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the shells are heated through.
- Once the stuffed shells are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Optional to add some vegan parmesan cheese. Then, serve and enjoy this delicious and hearty vegan meal.
Video
Conclusion: Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe
This Vegan Stuffed Shells Recipe with spinach and “ricotta” filling is a delicious and hearty vegan recipe that’s perfect for anyone looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet. Made with simple ingredients and easy to prepare, these stuffed shells are a great way to enjoy a classic comfort food dish without any dairy.
Wow this was Sooooo tasty! Loved the vegan ricotta filling and definitely going to make this again for some of my friends that wanted to try some plant based Italian food!
Hi Jasmine, thank you so much for the feedback and so happy you loved this recipe 😊
This recipe was totally amazing and delicious!!! My husband and I made a team to put this scrumptious dish together for our annual swim party potluck and it was a big hit! We put a “essycooks” sign and it was good for all except gluten frees😉. Thanks so much for sharing all these wonderful recipes!!
Can’t wait to try more!
Thanks SO much for the review and so happy it was a hit at your party! We hope you love all the other recipes that you try out.