Give these vegan tofu ricotta stuffed shells a try when you are looking for a whole-food ingredient approach to a tasty indulgent treat meal.
I’ve tried quite a few vegan stuffed shell recipes and they inspired me to give it my own twist. So many of the others I made, I realized they often had processed cheese in common to give it the creamy-ness and indulgent flavor. Sometimes I’m all for pre-made cheeses, but other times I prefer a more whole-food plant-based ingredient approach.
In my interpretation of this recipe, I used cashews to create the rich profile for the cheese stuffing instead of the premade options. This recipe is pretty simple to make but comes out tasting so indulgent and is great for impressing both vegans and non-vegans alike. If it tastes delicious, who cares if it’s not “real” cheese!
Making the Stuffed Shells
While this recipe is straight-forward, it can get a little bit messy. Filling the shells the cheese mixture will get all over your hands, but it’s 100% worth the mess. You can make a large batch of these and they are great for meals throughout the week.
In the depths of winter, soups are a great option and I have many recipes to fill that need. On the flip side, sometimes it’s great to have other options for a hot meal on hand. I love these tofu ricotta stuffed shells for just that reason. Because so much of the base is tofu, this makes for a wonderful high-protein meal option.
The tofu-ricotta can be utilized for other things aside from this recipe. It would make a great option for a cheesy pasta sauce or even as a base for a flatbread or pizza. Mix your usual recipe menu up and give these tofu ricotta stuffed shells a try!
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Tofu “Ricotta” Stuffed Pasta Shells
Ingredients
- 2 cups of spinach
- 2 cups of pasta sauce
- 0.25 cup cashews
- Juice from 1/2 large lemon
- 0.33 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbs dried basil
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 dash black pepper
- 0.25 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbs plant milk
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 0.75 container (16 oz ea.), Large Pasta Shells (25 shells)
- 1 block of firm tofu
Instructions
- Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook pasta according to box instructions
- Blend cashews with plant milk until smooth
- Add tofu, spices, oil, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Add cheese sauce to spinach and mix until evenly distributed.
- Pour 1 cup of pasta sauce into a baking dish, spread out evenly.
- Fill each pasta shell with a spoonful of the cheese and spinach mixture, adding each filled shell to the baking dish.
- Evenly pour remaining pasta sauce across the top of the shells. Scrape your cheese sauce container and add dollops across the top of the sauce.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until top cheese starts to golden.
- Top with garlic salt, pepper, and fresh herbs
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 shells
- Calories: 395
- Protein: 22g
