Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Spinach

These Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells are filled with the most amazing spinach ricotta, covered with marinara sauce and baked to perfection! Comfort food that is perfect for feeding a crowd. 

When I need a kid friendly meal that everyone will love, I turn to Vegan Lasagna, Vegan Mac and Cheese, Baked Ziti or these amazing stuffed shells.

I’ve served these shells countless times to various groups, and no one ever guesses they’re completely vegan! The ricotta filling rivals any dairy filled cheese, and will keep you coming back for more.

For added richness, add a few cups of non-dairy mozzarella shreds to the top while it bakes. But it’s really not necessary.

Tips for success

• Don’t overcook the pasta. We don’t want mushy shells, and they will continue to cook a little in the oven. Rinse the cooked shells in cold water as soon as they are done.
• Try using a piping bag to stuff the shells. It makes filling the shells a breeze! You can also use a small spoon.
• Frozen or fresh spinach – I use whatever I have on hand, and either is perfectly fine.
• Make ahead – You can assemble the shells in the casserole dish ahead of time, such as in preparation of a holiday meal. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. I would not let them sit longer than 8-10 hours before baking. Give them a few extra minutes to cook since they will be cold going in.

I hope you LOVE these Vegan Stuffed Shells. They are:

• Crowd-pleasing comfort food
• Kid-approved
• Savory & rich tasting
• Pasta perfection!
• Filling & oh-so-satisfying

Want more vegan pasta recipes to serve a crowd?

• Vegan Baked Ziti
• The Best Vegan Lasagna
• The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Vegan Carbonara
• Vegan Alfredo

5 stars (140 ratings)

Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Spinach

These Vegan Stuffed Jumbo Shells are filled with the most amazing spinach ricotta, covered with marinara sauce and baked to perfection! Comfort food that is perfect for feeding a crowd. 

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ (1) 12-ounce package jumbo shells
• ▢ (1) 26-ounce jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups)

Spinach Ricotta:

• ▢ 2 cups raw cashews
• ▢ (1) 14-ounce firm tofu drained from package
• ▢ 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• ▢ 1/4 cup water
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried basil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ (1) 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed or 2-3 cups fresh

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Boil the Shells: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the jumbo shells. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Some will likely break, but you will only need about 3/4 of the package so that is okay.
• Make the Spinach Ricotta: Add the cashews to a food processor, and process until fine and crumbly. Now add the rest of the ricotta ingredients EXCEPT the spinach. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Now add the spinach, squeezing out excess water before adding. Pulse to combine.
• In a large casserole dish, evenly spread about 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom.
• Stuff the Shells: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta into each shell and place open side up into the baking dish. Repeat until all the filling is used up. I love using a piping bag and large tip for this, it makes filling a breeze!
• Spoon remaining marinara sauce on top of the stuffed shells, and place in the oven. Cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

1. Leftover stuffed shells will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Simply reheat in the microwave or oven until warm. They can also be frozen.
2. Tofu alternative - If you cannot have tofu, you could stuff the shells with my almond based vegan ricotta cheese instead.
3. Nut free option - For nut free, use two blocks of tofu instead of one and omit the cashews. You may not need to add as much water, so start slowly. Or substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews.
4. If desired, cover the shells with a bag of non-dairy cheese shreds before baking, such as Daiya or Violife's mozzarella shreds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 815mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4563IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 5mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Nora Taylor

Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!