It’s not often that I find jumbo shells in stock at the store near me, so when I do, I grab them and make one of my favorite comfort foods – baked stuffed shells. To elevate this dish even further, and more importantly to appease my lactose intolerance, I make these shells with a delicious vegan ricotta made from cashews, tofu, and other delicious flavors like raspberry wine vinegar.
If you’re craving the ultimate comfort food without the food coma afterwards, then this is the dish for you. I also find it pretty fun to stuff the giant shells before the baking process! If you want to spice things up – literally – then I suggest using arrabbiata sauce as the base for the baking dish. This spicy marinara will add an extra touch of zest for those who love a little extra flavor in their meal.
“The recipe for stuffed pasta shells (Conchiglie Ripiene al Forno) comes from the Sicilian culinary tradition.”
– La cucina italiana
Baked Stuffed Shells (Made Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 package Jumbo Shells (Conchiglie)
- 3/4 – 2 cups Cashews (raw, unsalted)
- 1/2 block Firm Tofu
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Raspberry Vinegar (or plum vinegar)
- 2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup Spinach (or kale, fresh)
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp 21 Seasoning Salute
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 jar Arrabbiata Sauce (or marinara sauce)
- Vegan Feta (I prefer the Follow Your Heart brand)
Instructions
- Soak cashews in hot water while you are prepping your other ingredients (or soak in water overnight).
- Squeeze excess water out of tofu using paper towels before using a fork to create crumbles in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot over high heat (this is what you will cook your jumbo shells in). While your water is boiling, you can then prepare the vegan ricotta with the steps below.
- Drain cashews from water and place into Vitamix or food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, raspberry or plum vinegar (if using) and water, and blend until smooth. Then, pour into the bowl with your tofu crumbles and mix well with your preferred herbs, spices, nutritional yeast (if using), salt, and pepper. Fold in spinach or kale.
- Once your water is boiling, add around 16-20 jumbo shells. Some may break during the process, which is okay. Cool until al dente, then rinse and drain.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and start preparing a baking dish by spreading a thin layer of marinara or pesto on the bottom. Then, fill each shell using a spoon with about 3-5 tbsp of the vegan ricotta filling.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle with more herbs, vegan feta, and if desired more arrabbiata or marinara.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
