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The classic ricotta stuffed shells dish made vegan! This plant-based version is just as delicious, satisfying, and comforting! These vegan stuffed shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach filling and baked in plenty of marinara sauce!
⭐️ Why You Should Try It
- Packed with bold flavors. From the slightly tangy ricotta to the garlic, spinach, and marinara sauce, this Italian-American classic surely doesn’t lack flavor.
- Family-friendly. These shells are perfect for feeding a small crowd. Both grown-ups and kids love it!
- Great for meal prep. You can make these shells one day ahead of time and even freeze the stuffed shells to bake them later.
📘 What Are Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells is a pasta dish that consists of jumbo shells stuffed with a filling that can be made of cheese and/or some type of meat and baked in a sauce. It’s a delicious, family-friendly dish that is both hearty and comforting.
🧄 Ingredient Notes
Here is what you will need:
- Jumbo shells – Also called “Conchiglioni”, jumbo shells are a type of pasta that resembles a sea shell. It is large and specifically designed to be stuffed. You can use regular jumbo shells or a gluten-free version if you want to keep this recipe free of gluten.
- Vegan ricotta – Ricotta makes the base of the filling. It brings creaminess and a fresh flavor to this dish. You can use homemade vegan ricotta or store-bought one.
- Spinach – I chose frozen spinach as it’s more convenient and available year-round. If you have access to fresh spinach, use that instead, it will be even tastier!
- Nutritional yeast – For cheesiness. Feel free to double the amount if you want the filling to be more cheesy.
- Dried thyme and oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder. I used two whole garlic cloves for plenty of garlic flavor, but you can use just one if you want it less pungent.
- Chopped basil or parsley – Optional. I like to chop 4-5 leaves of fresh basil if I have some on hand and stir it into the ricotta filling. It adds a subtle peppery flavor.
- Tomato sauce – Basically, any tomato sauce will work. A few tasty options are marinara or passata sauce. I also tried this dish with arrabbiata sauce, but I thought the spiciness of the sauce didn’t really balance well with the ricotta filling.
🥣 How to Make It
This recipe is simple to prepare, but be aware that stuffing each shell takes some time, so patience is recommended!
It starts with the filling that is made in just one bowl. To prepare the filling:
- Add the vegan ricotta to a mixing bowl.
- Finely mince the garlic and chop the spinach. Add them to the ricotta.
- Next, season with nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Stir to combine and taste to adjust the saltiness to your liking. Set aside.
Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells. I cooked mine for 10 minutes, but depending on the brand, you might have to adjust the cooking time.
The shells should be al dente, even slightly under-cooked, as they will be baked later. Once the shells are ready, drain them and rinse them under cold water. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. This will prevent the shells from sticking to each other.
Finally, it’s time to assemble! To do so:
- Pour the marinara or passata sauce into a baking dish.
- Using a spoon, fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling.
- Arrange the shells, seam up, in the baking dish. Note: I baked 9 shells in a rectangle dish (as shown in the photos) and the 5 leftovers in another smaller dish. Feel free to bake the 14 shells in a single baking dish!
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Next, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
❄️ Freezing
If you want to freeze these vegan shells:
- Fill each shell with the ricotta filling. Place them on a baking dish or plate, making sure they don’t touch each other. Freeze them for 4-6 hours.
- Next, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Stuffed shells will keep for up to 2 months.
- To bake, add the tomato sauce to a baking dish, arrange the frozen shells on top, and cover with foil.
- Bake covered in a 400°F (200°C) preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
🥗 What to Serve It With
You can serve these shells with a green salad like this 10-Minute Carrot & Kale Salad, or with sautéed vegetables like Garlic Winged Beans or Caramelized Zucchini!
📔 Tips
- Do not overcook the shells. Since the shells are baked for about 20 minutes in a sauce, I recommend slightly undercooking them.
- Cook 2-3 extra shells. Jumbo shells are fragile, and some may break during cooking or filling. I recommend cooking at least 2 more shells, in case some break.
- Tweak the filling to your liking. You can add chopped sautéed mushrooms to the filling if you want to make it heartier.
- Top with vegan cheese! While I didn’t add topping here, I highly recommend sprinkling some grated vegan cheese on top of the shells before baking. It’s basically the icing on the cake, and your shell dish will taste even more satisfying!
- Garnish. Once baked, top with stuffed shells with chopped parsley or cilantro. It will add not only color but also flavor!
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use your favorite store-bought vegan ricotta or simply use medium or firm tofu. If using tofu, I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the filling to add some tanginess, as well as increasing the salt.
Yes, you can stuff the shells and place them in a baking dish with the sauce. Then, cover with aluminum foil and keep for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Bake as noted in the recipe.
Once baked, you can keep the shells for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat covered with foil for about 15 minutes in a 375°F (190°C) preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
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Vegan Stuffed Shells (With Spinach and Ricotta)
Ingredients
Ricotta Filling
- 9 ounces vegan ricotta
- 3/4 cup frozen spinach roughly chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 4-5 leaves fresh basil optional, chopped
The Rest
- 14 Jumbo shells
- 1 and 1/2 cup marinara sauce or passata sauce
Instructions
Ricotta Filling
- Add the vegan ricotta, chopped spinach, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, black pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, and fresh basil, if using, to a mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine and taste to adjust the saltiness to your liking. Set aside.
Stuffed Shells
- Preheat the oven to
400 °F (200°C). - Cook the shells. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells for about 10 minutes. Depending on the brand, you might have to adjust the cooking time. The shells should be al dente, even slightly under-cooked, as they will be baked later.
- Once the shells are ready, drain them and rinse them under water. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. This will prevent the shells from sticking to each other.
- Stuff the shells. Using a spoon, fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling.
- Assemble. Pour the marinara or passata sauce into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Arrange the shells, seam up, in the baking dish, over the marinara sauce.
- Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Next, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and serve hot with a salad on the side.
Notes
- Do not overcook the shells. Since the shells are baked for about 20 minutes in a sauce, I recommend slightly undercooking them.
- Cook 2-3 extra shells. Jumbo shells are fragile, and some may break during cooking or filling. I recommend cooking at least 2 more shells, in case some break.
- Tweak the filling to your liking. You can add chopped sautéed mushrooms to the filling if you want to make it heartier.
- Top with vegan cheese! While I didn’t add topping here, I highly recommend sprinkling some grated vegan cheese on top of the shells before baking. It’s basically the icing on the cake, and your shell dish will taste even more satisfying!
- Garnish. Once baked, top with stuffed shells with chopped parsley or cilantro. It will add not only color but also flavor!
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Vegan Stuffed Shells. This is something new for my family this weekend. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome Tommy!
gorgeous photo! Can’t wait to start trying to make vegan cheeses…i’m so darn allergic to dairy! Thanks for this!!
You are welcome Trudy! 🙂
With all due respect, ricotta cheese is an animal by-product and therefore not vegan.
You are completely right!
Vegan ricotta is plant based, not dairy-based. You can purchase it pre-made from several companies, or there are great recipes for self-made.