Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells Recipe
This Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells recipe features jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy homemade vegan ricotta and fresh spinach mixture, baked in a rich, flavorful homemade pizza sauce. Perfect for a comforting and satisfying plant-based meal with vibrant Italian flavors and a delightful texture balance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus time to make vegan ricotta cheese and soak almonds the day before)
- Cook Time: 40 minutes (9 minutes pasta boiling + 30 minutes baking + 3-5 minutes spinach cooking)
- Total Time: 1 hour (excluding ricotta preparation time)
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
Filling
- 10 oz fresh spinach (do not use frozen)
- 1 batch homemade vegan ricotta cheese (almond-based)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Sauce
- 3 cups (720g) homemade pizza sauce (recipe doubled)
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan ricotta: Make the homemade vegan ricotta cheese ahead of time, ideally the day before or soak almonds early in the morning to have it ready for dinner.
- Cook the pasta shells: Bring 5 quarts (20 cups) of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the jumbo pasta shells. Stir and cook for about 9 minutes until just under al dente, so they won’t become mushy during baking.
- Drain and rinse pasta: Drain the shells and rinse them with cold water. Set aside briefly to cool.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking dish: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Cook spinach: In a large pan over medium-low heat, add 10 oz fresh spinach and 2 tablespoons water. Cook while stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until just wilted. Drain the cooked spinach in a strainer, let cool, then squeeze out as much excess water as possible using your hands.
- Mix filling: In a large bowl, combine the prepared vegan ricotta cheese, squeezed spinach, 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Assemble shells: Spread 1 cup of the pizza sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with about 2 heaping tablespoons of ricotta-spinach mixture. Place stuffed shells in the dish with space between them.
- Add remaining sauce: Spoon the remaining 2 cups of pizza sauce around and between the shells, and drizzle some over the tops so the shells remain visible but soak in the sauce.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the dish is piping hot and heated through. You will hear it bubbling even if it’s not visibly bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, let it rest for a few minutes, then garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh spinach only; frozen spinach is too watery and will affect the texture.
- The homemade vegan ricotta takes time and preparation, so plan ahead or soak almonds early to be ready in time.
- The homemade pizza sauce is preferred for richer flavor but store-bought marinara can be used as an alternative.
- Cooking pasta shells just under al dente prevents them from becoming mushy after baking.
- Double the pizza sauce recipe to ensure enough sauce with leftovers for another use like pizza or pasta.
Keywords: vegan stuffed shells, vegan ricotta, spinach pasta shells, baked pasta, plant-based Italian dish, homemade pizza sauce, vegan dinner
