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
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.
Ingredients
- (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
- 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.
- Tofu alternative - If you cannot have tofu, you could stuff the shells with my almond based vegan ricotta cheese instead.
- 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.
- 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
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
So good! I’ve tried making vegan ricotta a few times, but it’s never turned out this good. Also surprisingly easy to make! Will definitely make again.
Thanks for the recipe, it’s delicious! Just a handy little tip… rather than using a spoon to fill the shells, scoop all the filling into an icing bag or a large Ziploc bag. If using a Ziploc bag, cut a small tip off one corner for a makeshift icing bag. Then just squeeze the filling into the shells.
Made this last night and it’s amazing! You can’t even taste the tofu ! Thank you for a great recipe! 🙂
Could you make this recipe with manicotti, do you think?
Yes I think that would be delicious!
Do you have to soak cashews first?
No, you do not have to soak the cashews for this recipe.
do you think a blender could be used instead of a food processor ???
Yes, I think that would work pretty well. You may need to add a little extra water to get it to blend enough, as the mixture is quite thick. A “pulse” option on a blender would work quite well, especially for incorporating the spinach. Thanks!
I’m planning on preparing this tomorrow. Could i use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes, you can, I’ve used both and either way is great. Enjoy!
Tried this recipie but used a combo of tofu and cashews, it was very good! Also added a few more seasonings.
This was soooo good! I added some daiya mozzarella to the top and it came out delicious…
This is great! I was skeptical at first but wow, it is good!! Vegans and omnis devoured it! Will make again. Thanks for this recipe!
I’m so glad Kate!
Hat brand of shells do you recommend?? Most noodles are made with egg…but with that being said some products are “accidentally vegan”- not advertised as vegan just doesn’t contain animal products. Any suggestions??
I actually find that most pasta does not contain eggs, but maybe it depends where you live. In the U.S. most noodles are vegan already, with the exception of egg noodles and sometimes fresh pasta. I usually use Barilla brand jumbo shells, which don’t contain egg.
I made traditional ricota and beef shells also and this vegan recipe was the favorite! It’s nice to have another meal that will please everyone, saves time and is so much better for them!
Thank you Melissa! I’m so happy you liked the recipe so much! It’s everyone’s favorite recipe around my house.
This dish is amazing!! My teenagers were very impressed and pleased with the results! I am a new vegan and love lasagna.. thank you for this recipe as I can still enjoy my favorite foods without compromising the flavor I’m used to!
So glad everyone enjoyed the recipe! That is my goal!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! Didn’t have shells but had everything else so used rice pasta and mixed “ricotta” with noodles and layered with sauce.
Mmmmm that sounds good Barb, so happy you enjoyed it!
I haven’t actually made anything with tofu yet but I know sometimes you need to prep it by draining and/or pressing liquid out. Do you need to do that w this recipe?
No you don’t need to worry about doing that with this recipe. It just gets blended up with the other ingredients. This is a good introduction to tofu, as you really can’t taste it at all. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Hello. My children are allergic to soy. Would I be able to replace the 14oz tofu with 1 cup of chickpeas instead?
Thanks for the recipe! Looks yummy.
Hi Jenny! You could try it with chickpeas, but it would probably taste much better if you just used more cashews and left out the tofu. I’d suggest 1 cup more cashews, and then add more water as needed to make it nice and smooth. Chickpeas might work too, though, I just haven’t tried it! Thanks, hope you enjoy the recipe!
This dish is still cooking in the oven. I cannot wait to eat it! The filling is one of the best things that I have ever eaten!
I hope you enjoyed it very much! I know, that filling is so delicious! 🙂
I didn’t rate it in the first comment. Five stars for sure.
Had the family over, kids and adults loved them. Used more tofu and less cashews because that’s what I had, very very yummy.
So glad to hear it, thanks for sharing!
These were amazing! Makes for awesome leftovers as well
Made this over the weekend, it was SOOOO GOOD! My husband could not believe how good it was and how much it tasted like ricotta stuffed shells. We spent the whole meal going “this is so good” ?? definitely going on the rotation!
Awesome Taylor! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
I’m making this dish for Easter for my parents and daughter’s boyfriend. It’s a favorite of ours. Adding a salad and baguette. I love your recipes, Nora.
Thank you so much Sherri! Happy Easter!
This filling will make GREAT Lasagna Roll-Ups! Thank you!!
Oh yeah it would! 🙂
Are the cashews supposed to be soaked first??
No, for this recipe there is no need to soak the cashews first. You could, but I actually prefer the texture of the ricotta when they are not soaked.
Could this recipe me made ahead so I can prep during the day and just throw it in the oven right before everyone gets home?
Absolutely!
Thanks for the quick response. I’ll get started on tonight’s dinner then!
Your so welcome! I hope you all enjoy them tonight. 🙂
This recipe was amazing! The entire family loved it! I am looking for dinners I can freeze (and keep frozen) and take on a 9 hour road trip to our vacation house. Do you think this is one that would freeze well?
I’m glad to hear everyone loved it! These do freeze well, that’s a great idea. Thanks for the feedback Jennifer!
I have one more question about freezing this dish. Would you make the pasta, stuff it and cover in red sauce then freeze or should I just make the filling ahead of time freeze it and just stuff the pasta when I get there? Also once frozen how should I thaw? Should I let it thaw completely or just transfer to the oven
Oh sure Jennifer! You could do it either way. Make the recipe to the point of baking and freeze, or freeze the filling separately, thaw and then proceed. I’ve frozen the leftovers too and that worked just fine. I would thaw it before transferring to the oven. Hope that helps!
I think this is my new favorite dish!!! I would love to serve this to my non vegan friends and family! My entire family of 6 absolutely loved this dish! Thank you!
Aw I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! It’s a great recipe for pleasing non-vegan friends and family. Thanks so much for sharing!