Something about the smell of Italian food wafting through the kitchen is so comforting. The aroma always brings warm blissful feelings; Italian food is so cozy. If you are at all like me, these stuffed shells will have you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. You may even find yourself curled up in a cozy corner with a good book and a glass of wine. How does that happen?? It’s all about the ricotta stuffing!
My obsession with Italian food may have come about from not being able to enjoy it for a long time. Being vegan is awesome and there is no amount of animal exploitation that I would excuse for a good meal, but dang, it is hard saying no to gorgeous pans of lasagna, baked ziti, and stuffed shells. Yes, there are vegan versions of all these things. Most use tofu or cashew ricotta and other substitutions and those are all fine but not quite the same. And then…and then! I found Kite Hill Ricotta. Holy moley! Do yourself a huge favor and go get some of this. Perfection.
These Pesto Stuffed Shells make an even more wonderful dinner when served with some crusty garlic bread.
Step by Step
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 1 12oz box jumbo pasta shells
- 1 26oz jar pasta sauce
- 1 8oz container dairy-free ricotta
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba (*)
- 1/3 cup dairy-free pesto (homemade is best!)
- 1/2 cup steamed and diced broccoli (**)
Ingredients
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- Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions for al dente pasta. This means they will still be a little firm. It is important they are not overcooked or they will get mushy when baked.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, broccoli, aquafaba and 3 tablespoons pesto. Mix until well combined.
- Spread 1/4 of the jar of pasta sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Carefully spoon the ricotta filling into each shell and place facedown in the dish in a single layer. (There may be leftover shells)
- Pour the remaining pasta sauce evenly over the shells.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining pesto over the sauce and then sprinkle with the remaining nutritional yeast.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and put in the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling around the shells. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Let cool 8-10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
(*) Aquafaba is the brine from a can of beans that usually gets drained down the sink. It makes an excellent binder. Use as is straight from the can.
(**) A quick way to steam broccoli --> cut it in small chunks and put in a microwave safe bowl. Add enough water just to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Microwave 1-3 minutes, depending on your microwave, until it is bright green and al dente.