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!
Delicious! I made the recipe just as it is for Christmas dinner, my first attempt at a “fancier” vegan dish. Rave reviews from guests, one of the most vocal being my meat-loving nephew. I didn’t use quite as much in each shell so ended up filling a 9×13 plus an 8×8 (will bake it just for us later this week!) and had to use part of a second jar of sauce for that one. This web site has been a real help whenever my vegan son comes home to visit and I find myself cooking that way more often when he isn’t home as well. Thanks Nora!
I’m not one to leave many reviews, but this recipe was fantastic! Absolutely delicious and I found it to be a very quick and easy recipe. I made it for some omnivore friends and they said they never would’ve guessed it was vegan. I followed the recommended tip of using a piping bag and tip to fill the shells, and that made the filling process go so fast – I definitely recommend that!
Hi Tara. I love serving this recipe when I’m having guests over as well! I’m glad it was a hit! Thanks for your wonderful review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I make these a lot and they are a hit everytime. Best part is my picky non-vegan teenage daughter loves them and usually won’t eat anything I make!
Hi Chrissy. It’s always fun when a meal is popular with the kids! I’m so glad the shells are a hit! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
These are FANTASTIC. This is my go-to recipe for entertaining – no one can tell they’re vegan! I’ve used the tofu ricotta in other recipes as well; it’s so, so good! Can the ricotta be frozen? Sometimes I just need half but like to save the rest for future uses. My family loves all your recipes, Nora! You’re a wizard in the kitchen. Thank you for all you do!
Hi Lisa! This is a great recipe to make for guests, and I’m glad it is always a hit for you! Your stellar review and kind words are so encouraging! Thank you for sharing them with me! I haven’t tried freezing the ricotta associated with this recipe, however, I’m afraid the texture would be off if it was frozen, then thawed. My almond-based ricotta is freezer friendly! Happy cooking to you!
I found this recipe tonight and ooh la la! I had a non-vegan extremely picky eater and liked it. My vegan hubby and I really loved it. Thanks
This came out fantastic. My husband loved it. I found the piping bag to be a real game changer. I will be using that for other recipes that need a filling. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this to friends and family who are not vegan. They will never know the difference. Delicious!!!!
Hi Cathy. This is a well loved recipe for sure! I’m so glad you tried it, and that you and your husband loved it! Thanks for your great review and feedback! Happy cooking to you!
Hi Nora this was always a favourite of my family esp when we were not yet vegan at my mothers’.
When I started cooking I found it better if I leave them raw when filling. They hold out much better. Then before baking I add water just to cover them. They cook perfectly and one less step. God bless.
I’ll have to try that method sometime, I didn’t think it would work! Thanks.
I’ve been vegan for 7 years and am now just finding out about cashews. The two recipes I’ve used them in, I have had to soak them prior to blending. Is that necessary for this recipe, or do I just toss raw cahsews in with the tofu? Thanks in advance, will let you know how my kids rate this!!
I don’t find it necessary for this recipe. But I often soak them for creamier sauces, etc. Hope you enjoy and let me know! 🙂
Nora, I occasionally volunteer with a local vegan group that cooks at our city’s homeless youth center (sad, I know). The vegan group is responsible for cooking 3 dinners per month, and several of your recipes are consistently on rotation, including this one! The teens enjoy it, and if there’s leftovers, the volunteers get some as well, and we all love it.
Thanks for all you do to spread the vegan message! Keep up the great work!
Hi Emily. What a wonderful gift you give to your community! Thank you for that! I am thrilled that folks are loving my recipes! I appreciate your positive and wonderful review and feedback!
I think you might have a typo in the recipe. I made this tonight and it was delicious! I noticed at the top of the recipe it says cook time is 35 minutes. On step 6 it says cook 25 minutes. After 25 minutes it wasn’t really done. Cooking 35 minutes the shells were perfect and just starting to brown and the sauce was bubbling nicely!
Hi there, it’s not a typo, the total cooking time is estimated for 35 minutes including the boiling pasta time. But you can certainly bake them for longer if you like! I find the shells dry out if I bake them for that long, but ovens can vary (as well as tastes). I’m so glad you enjoyed the shells, thank you.
This is Amazing! I’m a fairly new vegan, about 3 months, and your recipes are outstanding!! One small request, if possible, can you add a cook mode to your recipes so I can stop getting my phone all goopy 😄
D. E. L. I. C. I. O. U. S. 5 star
Hi! I am wondering what substitute you would recommend for nutritional yeast in your recipes? Unable to have this, yet went vegan and need some help! Thanks
Almost all of the time, you can simply leave it out. It adds a “cheesy” kind of flavor. I don’t have a good substitute, and it very much depends on the recipe. But most of the time, you can just leave it out, like in this recipe. Hope that helps!
If I freeze them, do I first cook it and then freeze or freeze prior to putting in the oven?
I would boil the shells and fill them, but do not bake. Freeze, then thaw and bake at another time.
These were great! Used frozen kale and definitely over blended… Still delicious. Excited to eat it for a couple more dinners!! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your incredibly delicious recipe! I’ve made this a few times for my family and they can’t get enough. Truly, the best vegan spinach ricotta ever!
I’m thrilled you and your family love the shells! Thanks for your wonderful review!