Stuffed Shells

This was my absolute favorite home-away-from-home dish when I was growing up. We called them stuffed seashells.  My friend Linda’s birthday was second only to my own, because her mom would make these. No, those weren’t vegan but they 100% inspired this recipe.  Thanks, Debbie! 

Stress Scale: ✅✅✅ | Prep Time: 25 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. jumbo pasta shells (many boxed shells are vegan-friendly, I used Barilla)

• 24 oz. of your favorite marinara sauce

• 1 bag vegan mozzarella shreds (Recommended brand: Violife)

• Meat filling:

  • Olive oil for sautéing

  • 10 oz. vegan beef crumbles

  • 2 T garlic, minced

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 1-2 cups baby kale or spinach

  • 1 t Italian seasoning 

• Ricotta cheese:

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (or for 1 hour in continuously hot water)

  • 1 block firm tofu

  • 4 t nutritional yeast

  • 4 t garlic, minced

  • 4 T lemon juice

  • 2 t white vinegar

  • 1 cup fresh basil, chopped 

  • Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F 

2. Drain tofu. Press tofu (to remove excess water) in a tofu press. No press? No problem.  Simply wrap tofu block in paper towels.  Press on all sides of tofu, changing paper towels as needed until they are no longer leaching water from the tofu.  (No need to maintain the block shape, so feel free to use some muscle here.)

3. Prepare pasta shells as directed. Let cool.

4. Heat olive oil on medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic.

5. Prepare meat crumbles as directed.  Add Italian Seasoning.

6. Prepare ricotta cheese. Pulse cashews and pressed tofu in high speed blender.  Add in vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice. Pulse once again. Once mixture reaches desired consistency (think thick and creamy), place in bowl. Fold in fresh basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Layer marinara sauce in bottom of (2) 9x13 casserole dishes. Assemble shells: Stuff with meat filling, then top with ricotta. Once all shells are filled, top with marinara sauce and mozzarella shreds.

8. Cover with foil. Bake for about 25 min or until bubbly.

9. Enjoy! Hopefully on an empty stomach… You are gonna want room for these babies.

TIP: These make lovely leftovers. Simply add some additional marinara sauce and reheat.