These Vegan Pumpkin Stuffed Shells are filled with cashew spinach ricotta, smothered in pumpkin pasta sauce, and baked until hot and gooey! A comforting crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for holidays and family meals.
If you love pumpkin pasta as much as I do, then you’ll want to try my Pumpkin Pasta Bake with Almond Ricotta, Pumpkin Gnocchi, and Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipes as well!
These Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells are like an extra comforting, fall-flavored version of my Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells.
I stuffed jumbo pasta shells with a cashew-and-tofu-based spinach ricotta before covering them with a blanket of pumpkin sauce. Baked with vegan mozzarella on top, they come out of the oven warm and cheesy—AKA everything you could want in a cozy comfort food!
Did you know that stuffed pumpkin pasta shells are great for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, too? I know I’ll be serving a double batch alongside the Vegan Turkey Roast and my favorite Vegan Wellington this year.
Why you’ll love these cheesy vegan stuffed shells
- Pumpkin pasta sauce – I’m obsessed with the creamy pumpkin pasta sauce poured over these shells. Everyday ingredients, like sage, nutmeg, vegan cream, and pumpkin puree, make it feel so luxurious.
- So cheesy! Between the vegan ricotta cheese and the layer of melted vegan cheese on top, this fall comfort food is seriously cheesy.
- Make-ahead friendly – Fall and winter are busy times, which is why I made sure to keep this recipe make-ahead friendly. You can prep it hours before baking!
How to make pumpkin stuffed shells
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Start by cooking the jumbo shells in a pot of boiling water until they’re just al dente. Drain and rinse them under cold water, then set aside.
Next, make the spinach ricotta by processing the cashews in a food processor until they’re fine and crumbly. Add the rest of the ricotta ingredients (except the spinach and parmesan) and blend until smooth and creamy. Pulse in the spinach and parmesan until combined.
Recipe Tip
Use your hands to squeeze out as much excess water from the spinach as possible before blending it into the ricotta. Wet spinach will make the cheese thin and watery instead of thick and creamy.
Now you can move onto the pumpkin sauce. Warm up the oil in a large skillet, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Pour in the pumpkin puree and vegan cream. Stir in the dried sage, nutmeg, and salt.
Gently simmer the pumpkin sauce for a few minutes, then take it off the heat.
Pour half of the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Scoop some of the vegan ricotta into each shell and place them open side up in the baking dish. Repeat until you run out of shells.
Recipe Tip
I love using a piping bag for this part; it makes filling the shells a breeze!
Finish by spooning the pumpkin sauce over the jumbo stuffed shells. Sprinkle vegan mozzarella cheese on top, then bake in the oven until hot and gooey. Serve warm and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Try making my almond-based vegan ricotta if you’re out of cashews. For a nut-free version, replace the nuts with sunflower seeds or make it with two blocks of tofu instead of one.
Sure! You may want to blanch and dry the fresh spinach beforehand to make sure it’s wilted and tender.
Absolutely, this is a fantastic make-ahead meal. Assemble the dish right up until baking, then cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Keep in mind that the shells will be cold going in the oven and may need a few extra minutes to heat through.
If you’d like to save even more time, make the cashew ricotta and pumpkin sauce up to 2 days in advance and store them in separate containers in the fridge. This way, they’ll be ready to go when you find the time to assemble the shells.
You can cover the leftovers and keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They also freeze well!
Pumpkin Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Spinach Ricotta
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 14.5 ounces firm tofu drained from package
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 10 ounce package chopped frozen spinach thawed
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan shreds optional
Pumpkin Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2-2 cups vegan cream or coconut milk*
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
The Rest
- 12 ounce package jumbo shells
- 8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
Instructions
- Prepare Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Boil the Shells: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the jumbo shells. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Some will likely break, but you will only need about 3/4 of the package so that is okay.
- Make the Spinach Ricotta: Add the cashews to a food processor, and process until fine and crumbly. Now add the rest of the ricotta ingredients EXCEPT the spinach and parmesan cheese. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Now add the spinach and parmesan, squeezing out excess water from the spinach before adding. Pulse to combine.
- Make the Pumpkin Sauce: In a large pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Once warm, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the pumpkin puree and vegan cream. Add the dried sage, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Simmer gently for about 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Assemble the Shells: Pour half the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta into each shell and place open side up in the baking dish. Repeat until all the filling is used up. I love using a piping bag for this, it makes filling a breeze!
- Bake and Serve: Spoon the rest of the pumpkin sauce on top of the stuffed shells and sprinkle the vegan mozzarella cheese on top. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For the pumpkin sauce, I used Ripple Half and Half, but I’ve also used canned coconut milk or even unsweetened almond milk. It will be richer if using vegan cream or coconut milk.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I used vegan ricotta and it turned out great. Love your recipes!
You are welcome, Ivy! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe! I appreciate you sharing your terrific review! Thank you for your support and for loving my recipes!
Do you need to cook the shells first, or leave them uncooked? What about the cashews. Should those be soaked before adding to the food processor?
Have you seen the Recipe Card at the bottom of the post with all the instructions? It’s all written out there in detail. Yes, you have to cook the shells first. No, you don’t need to soak the cashews for this recipe.
Hit of Thanksgiving meal – for vegans and non-vegans. I made the pumpkin sauce one day ahead. The filling was delicious – ricotta is much less flavorful. 100% will make this again.
This is wonderful.
I cant stand the taste of nutritional yeast. Which is a real bummer for a vegan! Would you suggest doubling the vegan parmesan if I leave out the nutritional yeast?
Sure, that would be great! You can always leave out nutritional yeast, in nearly every recipe that calls for it. 🙂
Do you think adding a little white wine or other alcohol to the sauce would work?
Sure, you could probably do that if you want.
Would silken tofu work in the filling? Instead of firm?
I bet it would but I haven’t tried it. You’ll have to adjust and use less water potentially.
Can I use fresh spinach?
You can, yes. I would just add a few cups. You can wilt it first, but you don’t have to. I’ve thrown it in the food processor raw and it works just fine. Enjoy!