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Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Spinach

These Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells are filled with the most amazing spinach ricotta, covered with marinara sauce and baked to perfection! Comfort food that is perfect for feeding a crowd. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 425kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

  • (1) 12-ounce package jumbo shells
  • (1) 26-ounce jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups)

Spinach Ricotta:

  • 2 cups raw cashews
  • (1) 14-ounce firm tofu drained from package
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • (1) 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed or 2-3 cups fresh
US Customary - Metric

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!

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. Tofu alternative - If you cannot have tofu, you could stuff the shells with my almond based vegan ricotta cheese instead.
  3. 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.
  4. If desired, cover the shells with a bag of non-dairy cheese shreds before baking, such as Daiya or Violife's mozzarella shreds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 815mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4563IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 5mg