Our EASY Vegan Stuffed Shells give the classic dish a run for its money! Made with a tofu and cashew vegan ricotta, it’s a protein-packed, creamy, cheesy, and OH-SO satisfying meal!
Elegant enough to serve for a celebration or holiday dinner but also great for meal prep (hello comforting lunches all week long). It’s the best of both worlds. Plus, just 9 ingredients required! Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Stuffed Shells
The star of this vegan (and optionally gluten-free) show is the creamy, dreamy, dairy-free ricotta featuring cashews for richness and tofu for protein. While garlic adds a savory component and lemon juice adds brightness, nutritional yeast gives this creamy combination its “cheesy” flavor.
Next, we stir in spinach for a smidge of color and a nutritional boost.
Then it’s time to stuff those shells!
All that’s left is topping with sweet and savory marinara sauce before baking to perfection.
Add a sprinkle of vegan parmesan and they’re ready to serve! Is your mouth watering yet?
We hope you LOVE these vegan stuffed shells! They’re:
Cheesy
Saucy
Classic
Rich
Protein-packed
& SO comforting!
These shells are satisfying on their own but also perfect with The BEST Vegan Garlic Bread, Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad, or Perfect Roasted Broccoli with Vegan Parmesan.
Love Pasta? Try These Next!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 6 (Servings)
PASTA
- 6 oz. dry jumbo pasta shells (gluten-free as needed // 6 oz. or 170 g yields ~20-30 shells, depending on size)
FILLING
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews*
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2/3-3/4 cup water
- 7 oz. extra-firm tofu (1/2 package yields 7 ounces or 198 g)
- 1 ½ cups cut frozen spinach* (5 oz. yields ~1 ½ cups)
SAUCE
- 1 (26 oz.) jar favorite marinara sauce (1 jar yields ~2 ½ cups // we like arrabbiata)
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PASTA: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add shells. Stir and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
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FILLING: Meanwhile, add cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and water (starting with the lesser amount) to a food processor or high-speed blender. Mix/blend, scraping down sides as needed. Add more water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until a thick paste forms.
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Add the tofu and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more lemon juice for brightness, garlic for zing, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, or salt to taste. Then add the spinach and stir with a spoon until just combined.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Once the shells are done, drain and let cool slightly. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 9-inch (or similar size) glass or ceramic baking dish, then generously stuff the shells with the filling.
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Arrange shells split side up in the pan and top with remaining marinara — they should be covered but not drowning. Bake for 35 minutes or until warm and bubbly. Serve warm garnished with fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese (optional).
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These go great with Caesar salad (or other salads), steamed or roasted broccoli, and/or garlic bread.
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Store leftover shells covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 F (176 C) oven or in the microwave until warmed through. Not freezer friendly — the noodles become mealy when reheated.
*You can use fresh spinach instead of frozen, but we recommend either blanching, steaming, or sautéing it first.
*Adapted from our Vegan Stuffed Shells with Roasted Eggplant.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 381 Carbohydrates: 39.2 g Protein: 16.7 g Fat: 19.7 g Saturated Fat: 3.3 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 857 mg Potassium: 662 mg Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 7.3 g Vitamin A: 3357 IU Vitamin C: 23 mg Calcium: 214 mg Iron: 5.2 mg
