A vegan version of ricotta stuffed shells that is easy to make and great for a date night in or a special occasion. Made with a 6-ingredient vegan ricotta that tastes even better than the regular ricotta!
Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells
I’ve made these stuffed shells for multiple people, including a group of Italians.. and let me tell you.. They had no idea it was vegan! That’s when you know it’s amazing, right?
Make these for your family, friends or your significant other and watch them fall in love with this dish.
The best part is that the vegan ricotta only required 6 ingredients:
Tips for success
Cook pasta al dente to avoid it getting too mushy. It will continue to cook a bit in the oven. Rinse the pasta in cold water as soon as they are done cooking for best results.
Add a drizzle of olive oil to your shells to avoid them sticking. It’s super frustrating when they stick together and you have to pull them apart and possibly break them.
Make the ricotta and veggies a day ahead to split up the work and make the process smoother. When it’s time to stuff the shells, use a piping bag to avoid a mess.
Substitutes for Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells:
The vegan ricotta gets its texture from a mix of cashews and tofu. The cashews provide the healthy oils needed for creamy texture and hearty taste. The tofu provides the bulk of the protein and a ricotta-like texture. If you want a vegan ricotta stuffed shells with no cashews, check out Jasmine’s ricotta recipe!
You can substitute cashews with skinless almonds or omit entirely and add a full block of tofu + 3 tablespoons of olive oil for the healthy fat.
There are different types of tofu: silken, firm, extra firm, high protein. I highly recommend using firm for this recipe.
Other substitutes:
Almond milk: any other plant-based milk besides coconut or vegetable broth/water.
Apple cider vinegar: lemon juice
Basil Tomato sauce: choose your favorite marinara sauce
Spinach and mushrooms: peas, baby kale
More Delicious Vegan Recipes:
Print
Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These vegan stuffed ricotta shells are filled with the best vegan ricotta and baked to perfection. Perfect for a weekend dinner or date night in.
Ingredients
- 8 oz large pasta shells
- 1 cup basil tomato sauce
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Fresh basil
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 1.5 cups raw cashews (soaked)
- 1/2 block firm tofu
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp minced garlic or garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak cashews overnight or in boiling hot water for 30 minutes. Drain cashews and add to food processor along with almond milk, tofu, ACV, nutritional yeast, garlic and salt.
- Chill ricotta in refrigerator meanwhile pasta cooks.
- Follow instructions on box/bag to cook pasta al dente.
- Dice mushrooms. Sauté baby spinach and mushrooms in a medium pan with a little salt and pepper for 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool off.
- Drain pasta and add 2 tbsp olive oil to prevent it from sticking or drying out.
- Take cashew ricotta out of the fridge and mix it in with the sautéed mushrooms and spinach.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Spread tomato sauce to the bottom of your baking dish.
- Once pasta is cool enough begin stuffing with ricotta/shroom/spinach mix. I add about 1 tbsp but you can be the judge of how much you want to add!
- Place stuffed pasta shells on top of the tomato sauce, add a few dollops of sauce on top of the shells and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes at 375 F.
- Take dish out carefully and let cool for 15-20 minutes before adding fresh basil to serve and enjoy.
Notes
*Do not overcook pasta, it will continue to cook in the oven. Cook it “al dente”.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
Wonderful website. Lots of useful information here. I?¦m sending it to a few buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks to your effort!