Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

5 stars (4 ratings)

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Servings: servings

Calories: 545kcal

Author: Nora Taylor

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

US Customary - Metric

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 9x13-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.

Nutrition