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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Vegan stuffed shells

    Published: Oct 5, 2018 · Modified: Oct 4, 2021 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Dairy free pesto ricotta stuffed shells

    These vegan stuffed shells are full of a delicious dairy free pesto ricotta made from white beans, cashews and nutritional yeast. Perfect for a warm, cozy evening. Chock full of fiber and protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied.

    Three jumbo vegan stuffed shells on a white plate

    This recipe is

    • Vegan & Vegetarian
    • Dairy free
    • High in protein
    • Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner
    • Great for a dinner party

    Ingredients

    • Jumbo shells
    • Marinara sauce
    • Great northern beans - This is what we're using as the ricotta base. You could also sub for a block of tofu. This is a soy free version. I like how creamy the beans get.
    • Raw cashews - This adds a nice creamy texture and richness to the vegan ricotta.
    • Fresh basil - This ricotta is going to be a little different, because we're flavoring it with basil to make it taste like pesto.
    • Olive oil - Adds smoothness to the ricotta
    • Garlic
    • Nutritional yeast - Adds a rich, cheesy flavor
    • Lemon juice - Adds a nice citrus balance to the earthy taste of the beans.

    Recipe tips

    Vegan stuffed shells in a baking dish topped with tomato sauce

    Try to cook your shells al dente, so they don't fall apart too much. Once they're cooked, put them back in the pot and cover them with cold water. This will prevent them from sticking, until you're ready to stuff them.

    It helps to use a piping back to stuff the shells. If not, use the smallest spoon you can find and stuff them with about 1-2 tablespoons of filling.

    Substitutions and modifications

    For an oil free version

    You can always make this without oil. Instead of oil, add ⅓ cup of unsweetened oat milk.

    For a nut free version

    You can substitute hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or tofu for the raw cashews, or just leave them out.

    Storing and making ahead

    To store this after cooking, put in an air tight container in the fridge. It will last for about 3-5 days.

    Make this a freezer meal

    This is a fantastic make ahead, freezer meal. Do steps 1-4 of the recipe. Instead of baking it, cover it with a freezer friendly lid, or a few layers of tin foil and store in the freezer.

    When you're ready to bake it, take it out of the freezer, keep the aluminum foil on, and cook at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until it's cooked all the way through.

    More recipes to try

    • Dairy free alfredo sauce

    📖 Recipe

    Three jumbo vegan stuffed shells on a white plate

    Vegan stuffed shells (with pesto ricotta)

    These vegan stuffed shells are full of a delicious dairy free pesto ricotta made from white beans, cashews and nutritional yeast. Perfect for a warm, cozy evening. Chock full of fiber and protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 18 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 43 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 365kcal
    Author: Maria
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    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric
    • 1 box jumbo pasta shells
    • 1 jar marinara sauce
    • 1 package vegan mozzarella shredded cheese (optional)

    Vegan pesto ricotta

    • 2 cans great northern beans
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ¼ cup basil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ lemon (juiced)
    • ½ cup raw cashews
    • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • ⅓ cup olive oil

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
    • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the jumbo shells al dente. Rinse with cold water. Place cooked pasta in cool water and set aside. This prevents the noodles from sticking while you get everything together
      1 box jumbo pasta shells
    • In a food processor or blender, add all of the ingredients in the 'Vegan pesto ricotta" section. Blend until smooth-ish.
      2 cans great northern beans, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ lemon, ½ cup raw cashews, ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • Grab a baking dish and cover bottom of dish lightly with a layer of marinara sauce. Stuff the shells. Cover the shells with as much marinara sauce as you'd like. Top with vegan shredded cheese.
      1 jar marinara sauce, 1 package vegan mozzarella shredded cheese
    • Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cook covered to melt the vegan cheese

    Video

    Notes

    To make this oil free, just use unsweetened oat milk instead of oil. 
    This is great to make ahead, and keep as a freezer meal. Just do steps 1-4 and cover with a couple layers of tin foil, put in the freezer instead of baking. When you're ready to bake, take it out of the freezer, keep the tin foil on and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
    To make this nut free, substitute for hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or tofu. 
     
    I've tweaked the recipe a little since making this video, so follow the directions of the written recipe. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 742mg | Potassium: 655mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Loved this recipe? Pin it to your favorite board!

    Close up of vegan stuffed shells

    Vegan ricotta stuffed shells

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    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

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    Hi, I'm Maria Rose! I'm a professional singer by night, and recipe developer by day. I run this blog and am also the creator of the One Month (30 minute) Meal Plan. I love helping people learn how to cook easy and delicious plant based meals.

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