These really are the BEST Vegan Stuffed Shells! They’re filled with the most amazing vegan spinach ricotta, covered with marinara sauce, and baked to perfection. It’s cheesy comfort food for the whole family!
If you need more kid-friendly meals that everyone will love, check out my Vegan Lasagna, this Vegan Mac and Cheese, and my favorite Baked Ziti.
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“These stuffed shells are soOoOOoOooOoOoOOooo good. My husband has never had stuffed shells and was insisting he wouldn’t like them–wrong! The texture and flavor of the filling are just perfect. Even our picky toddler was a fan!” – Meghan
Finding a dinner that makes kids, teens, and picky adults happy usually feels like a chore. But these Vegan Stuffed Shells are my secret weapon.
I’ve served these stuffed shells countless times, and no one ever guesses that they’re completely vegan. The secret? A tofu and cashew spinach ricotta filling that rivals any dairy-filled cheese.
Between the “cheese”-stuffed jumbo shells and the bubbling marinara, this is the meal that usually leaves us with zero leftovers. It’s just good, old-fashioned comfort food everyone loves!
Why you’ll love these vegan stuffed jumbo shells
- Kid-approved – When I want to serve a meal both the kids and adults will love, I make vegan stuffed pasta shells. Even picky teenagers love them.
- Pasta perfection! The jumbo shells are stuffed with cashew and tofu ricotta, covered in marinara sauce, and baked until hot and gooey. It’s the perfect pasta dinner!
- Surprisingly easy – The hardest part about this recipe is stuffing the pasta shells, but honestly, a piping bag makes that step so quick and easy.
How to make vegan stuffed shells
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Start by boiling the pasta shells until they’re al dente. Drain and rinse them with cold water. You likely won’t use all of the shells in the package, so it’s okay if some break!
Next, make the vegan spinach ricotta by processing the cashews in a food processor until crumbly. Pulse in the rest of the ingredients (except the spinach) until smooth and creamy.
Add the spinach to the food processor and pulse to combine.
To start assembling, spread some of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta and place them open side up in the dish. Repeat until you run out of ricotta.
Recipe Tip
I love filling a piping bag fitted with a large tip with the ricotta cheese, then piping the filling into the shells. It’s the easiest way to do it!
Spoon the remaining marinara over the shells. For added richness, sprinkle a few cups of non-dairy mozzarella shreds on top as well.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Serve while they’re hot and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
There’s truly nothing better than my Kale Caesar Salad and fresh-baked Vegan Garlic Bread on the side of cheesy stuffed shells. It’s a simple and classic Italian-inspired meal the whole family will adore.
Yes, you can fully assemble the stuffed shells and refrigerate them in the covered casserole dish for up to 10 hours before baking. I also recommend adding a few extra minutes to the bake time since they’ll be cold.
Sure! I’ve tried this with both fresh and frozen spinach, and they both work well. Just thaw it ahead of time and squeeze out as much water as possible before blending it into the cheese.
You don’t have to. My almond-based Vegan Ricotta Cheese works just as well here. Or try Tofu Ricotta Cheese (recipe coming soon!).
For a nut-free version, use an equal amount of sunflower seeds in place of the cashews or swap the cashews for two blocks of tofu instead of one. You may not need to add as much water, so start slowly.
The jumbo shells will be mushy if they’re cooked beyond al dente (soft with a slightly firm bite) in the boiling water or if you don’t rinse them under cool water afterward. They continue to cook in the oven, so do your best to avoid overcooking them at the start!
Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Spinach
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo shells
- 26 ounces marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
Spinach Ricotta:
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 14 ounces firm tofu drained from package
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed or 2-3 cups fresh
Instructions
- Preheat 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. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Now add the spinach, squeezing out excess water before adding. Pulse to combine.
- In a large casserole dish, evenly spread about 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom.
- Stuff the Shells: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta into each shell and place open side up into the baking dish. Repeat until all the filling is used up. I love using a piping bag and large tip for this, it makes filling a breeze!
- Spoon remaining marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells, and place in the oven. Cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Leftover stuffed shells will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Simply reheat in the microwave or oven until warm. They can also be frozen.
- Tofu alternative – If you cannot have tofu, you could stuff the shells with my almond based vegan ricotta cheese instead.
- Nut free option – For nut free, use two blocks of tofu instead of one and omit the cashews. You may not need to add as much water, so start slowly. Or substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews.
- If desired, cover the shells with a bag of non-dairy cheese shreds before baking, such as Daiya or Violife’s mozzarella shreds.
Nutrition
Your recipes do not disappoint!! I just made this for dinner and it is delicious. I didn’t have any nutritional yeast so I just skipped that ingredient and honestly it was perfect even without!! Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes!
You bet, Brigitte! I appreciate you using my recipes! How awesome that you loved the stuffed shells recipe! Thank you for taking time to share your glowing review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
I made this for Valentine’s Day and O.M.G. – it was soooooooo good! Subbed in your vegan ricotta cheese recipe to make it soy free and it was a hit! Can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for all the amazing recipes you create and share. ❤️
You are welcome, Robyn! I am so glad this was a hit for your Valentine’s Day! I appreciate your encouraging comments and stellar review! Happy cooking to you!
I turned this into a lasagna and it was delicious. The whole family loved it.
I turned this to a lasagna and it was delicious. The whole family loved it.
Hi Oli. Thank you for sharing your terrific review and idea! I’m so glad the meal was a hit with your family! Happy cooking!
Love this recipe! Will the fulfilling last a couple days if made ahead and assembled later?
Yes, a couple of days should be just fine. Thanks!
This is why i hate eating out. The food you make at home is so much better. This is an A++++ just as it is written. I do think I will try adding some roasted pine nuts. 3 family members that are not plant-based said this was the best vegan past dish they have ever had. Thank you Nora Cooks.
You are welcome, Christine! I’m thrilled that you loved the recipe! I love the idea of adding roasted pine nuts! Thank YOU for taking time to share your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking!
These stuffed shells are soOoOOoOooOoOoOOooo good. My husband has never had stuffed shells and was insisting he wouldn’t like them–wrong! The texture and flavor of the filling are just perfect. Even our picky toddler was a fan! Next time I will use less filling to fit our preferences, but these are definitely becoming a part of our regular rotation.
Hi Meghan. How thrilling that your family loves the stuffed shells! That is awesome! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and fantastic feedback! Happy cooking!
This is one of our household staples! We’ve been making it for about a year and a half, and recently I was diagnosed with Celiac disease, so we improvised a little!! We now make the amazing filling and use it with gluten free lasagna noodles (I can’t find GF jumbo shells locally). So we layer this as the ricotta on top of the noodles, top it with a mix of sauteed mushrooms, peppers, onions, and zucchini, and then the sauce. We love it so much and have made it for other GF, vegan, and meat eating friends alike, and they have all loved it, too. Thanks so much for your recipes!
Hi Shannon. How fun to learn this is one your family’s go to recipes! I really appreciate your ideas of how you make the meal gluten free. Comments such as yours make all the work creating recipes very rewarding! Thank you for your glowing 5 star review! Happy cooking!
Thank you for this great recipe! I could not find jumbo sized shells so I improvised- used about 7 oz cooked spaghetti noddles placed on top of the sauce and then placed globs of the ricotta over it, dropped more sauce on it, baked it in a covered pan and it turned out fine! I’ll try again to find the jumbo shells for a more elegant meal!
Hi Ella. I am so glad you enjoyed there recipe! Thanks for sharing your cooking experience and glowing review! Happy cooking!
Delicious! I made the recipe just as it is for Christmas dinner, my first attempt at a “fancier” vegan dish. Rave reviews from guests, one of the most vocal being my meat-loving nephew. I didn’t use quite as much in each shell so ended up filling a 9×13 plus an 8×8 (will bake it just for us later this week!) and had to use part of a second jar of sauce for that one. This web site has been a real help whenever my vegan son comes home to visit and I find myself cooking that way more often when he isn’t home as well. Thanks Nora!
This recipe is delicious. Healthy, tasty and so easy to make! My only negative, if you can call it that, is that if you love mozzarella in the stuffing you might miss the stringy cheese texture. I didn’t miss it al all because they were so good. I know two people and one can’t have cheese and the other can’t have onions or garlic. I’m thinking of trying this recipe without the garlic. I think it would be a nice surprise for them both! Thank you Nora, great job!!
I’m not one to leave many reviews, but this recipe was fantastic! Absolutely delicious and I found it to be a very quick and easy recipe. I made it for some omnivore friends and they said they never would’ve guessed it was vegan. I followed the recommended tip of using a piping bag and tip to fill the shells, and that made the filling process go so fast – I definitely recommend that!
Hi Tara. I love serving this recipe when I’m having guests over as well! I’m glad it was a hit! Thanks for your wonderful review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I make these a lot and they are a hit everytime. Best part is my picky non-vegan teenage daughter loves them and usually won’t eat anything I make!
Hi Chrissy. It’s always fun when a meal is popular with the kids! I’m so glad the shells are a hit! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
These are FANTASTIC. This is my go-to recipe for entertaining – no one can tell they’re vegan! I’ve used the tofu ricotta in other recipes as well; it’s so, so good! Can the ricotta be frozen? Sometimes I just need half but like to save the rest for future uses. My family loves all your recipes, Nora! You’re a wizard in the kitchen. Thank you for all you do!
Hi Lisa! This is a great recipe to make for guests, and I’m glad it is always a hit for you! Your stellar review and kind words are so encouraging! Thank you for sharing them with me! I haven’t tried freezing the ricotta associated with this recipe, however, I’m afraid the texture would be off if it was frozen, then thawed. My almond-based ricotta is freezer friendly! Happy cooking to you!
I found this recipe tonight and ooh la la! I had a non-vegan extremely picky eater and liked it. My vegan hubby and I really loved it. Thanks
This came out fantastic. My husband loved it. I found the piping bag to be a real game changer. I will be using that for other recipes that need a filling. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this to friends and family who are not vegan. They will never know the difference. Delicious!!!!
Hi Cathy. This is a well loved recipe for sure! I’m so glad you tried it, and that you and your husband loved it! Thanks for your great review and feedback! Happy cooking to you!
Hi Nora this was always a favourite of my family esp when we were not yet vegan at my mothers’.
When I started cooking I found it better if I leave them raw when filling. They hold out much better. Then before baking I add water just to cover them. They cook perfectly and one less step. God bless.
I’ll have to try that method sometime, I didn’t think it would work! Thanks.
I’ve been vegan for 7 years and am now just finding out about cashews. The two recipes I’ve used them in, I have had to soak them prior to blending. Is that necessary for this recipe, or do I just toss raw cahsews in with the tofu? Thanks in advance, will let you know how my kids rate this!!
I don’t find it necessary for this recipe. But I often soak them for creamier sauces, etc. Hope you enjoy and let me know! 🙂
Nora, I occasionally volunteer with a local vegan group that cooks at our city’s homeless youth center (sad, I know). The vegan group is responsible for cooking 3 dinners per month, and several of your recipes are consistently on rotation, including this one! The teens enjoy it, and if there’s leftovers, the volunteers get some as well, and we all love it.
Thanks for all you do to spread the vegan message! Keep up the great work!
Hi Emily. What a wonderful gift you give to your community! Thank you for that! I am thrilled that folks are loving my recipes! I appreciate your positive and wonderful review and feedback!
I think you might have a typo in the recipe. I made this tonight and it was delicious! I noticed at the top of the recipe it says cook time is 35 minutes. On step 6 it says cook 25 minutes. After 25 minutes it wasn’t really done. Cooking 35 minutes the shells were perfect and just starting to brown and the sauce was bubbling nicely!
Hi there, it’s not a typo, the total cooking time is estimated for 35 minutes including the boiling pasta time. But you can certainly bake them for longer if you like! I find the shells dry out if I bake them for that long, but ovens can vary (as well as tastes). I’m so glad you enjoyed the shells, thank you.
This is Amazing! I’m a fairly new vegan, about 3 months, and your recipes are outstanding!! One small request, if possible, can you add a cook mode to your recipes so I can stop getting my phone all goopy 😄
D. E. L. I. C. I. O. U. S. 5 star
Hi! I am wondering what substitute you would recommend for nutritional yeast in your recipes? Unable to have this, yet went vegan and need some help! Thanks
Almost all of the time, you can simply leave it out. It adds a “cheesy” kind of flavor. I don’t have a good substitute, and it very much depends on the recipe. But most of the time, you can just leave it out, like in this recipe. Hope that helps!
If I freeze them, do I first cook it and then freeze or freeze prior to putting in the oven?
I would boil the shells and fill them, but do not bake. Freeze, then thaw and bake at another time.
These were great! Used frozen kale and definitely over blended… Still delicious. Excited to eat it for a couple more dinners!! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your incredibly delicious recipe! I’ve made this a few times for my family and they can’t get enough. Truly, the best vegan spinach ricotta ever!
I’m thrilled you and your family love the shells! Thanks for your wonderful review!