These stuffed shells rank very high on our list of favorites in my household and the recipe is entirely vegan! They were one of the first recipes I became hooked on when transitioning to a plant based diet and are still one of the most requested dinners from my meat-loving husband. The rich, creaminess of the cashew ricotta is absolutely irresistible and will leave you so incredibly satisfied. Although the preparation is a little time consuming, the result is well worth it. You will definitely want to make these again!
Below is a quick step-by-step guide to making these stuffed shells, with a full recipe summary and measurements at the bottom of the page.
Some information about the ingredients needed to prepare these stuffed shells:
- Jumbo shells: If I could find whole wheat at any of my local grocery stores, that would certainly be my choice. 100% whole wheat is always the best option when it comes to pastas and breads but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have access to it. All the ingredients in this dish are loaded with enough benefits and nutrients to make up for it.
- Cashews: Soaking cashews is a great method for recreating the creaminess of cheese-based or cream-based dishes. In addition, nuts are high in protein and also great for weight loss because they have a high satiety value and leave you feeling more satisfied.
- Tofu: Aside from being a fantastic source of protein, tofu is made from fermented soybeans, which means it’s rich in probiotics and great for gut health and digestion.
- Garlic: Aside from the incredible flavor garlic adds, it also has major health benefits and strong anti-inflammatory properties that can protect you from illness and disease.
- Spinach: High in antioxidants. Helps manage blood pressure. Spinach is actually one of the vegetables that is more nutritious after being cooked.
- Basil: As a major contributor to the freshness and flavor of these stuffed shells, basil is also known to contain strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
- Parsley: This flavorful herb is a rich source of Vitamin K and helps to support bone growth and fight against osteoporosis.
- Green onions: Just like any other onion, green onions are rich in nutrients like quercetin, that boost your immune system and that help to fight against cancer, reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol and heart health.
- Lemon juice: Citrus fruits are known to be highly abundant in Vitamin C as well as a good source of fiber, but what some may not know is that they also increase citrate in urine, which decreases the risk of kidney stones.
- Rice wine vinegar: Aids in digestive health and also has been known to improve liver health and lower cholesterol.
- Nutritional yeast: This ingredient is a pantry staple in most vegan and plant-based households because it adds a nice creamy, cheesy flavor to any dish. Nutritional yeast is also a good source of fiber, which promotes gut health and it also helps to improve the health of your hair, skin and nails.
- Italian seasonings, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper: According to NutritonFacts.org, spices offer a wide range of benefits and are known to improve health issues such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and they can even be mood boosters! Therefore, it’s important to include at least a small amount of herbs and spices in your daily diet.
- Marinara: Because these shells are packed with so much flavor and spices, I highly recommend using a plain marinara. As you can see from the picture below, I used a tomato & basil sauce, which made the shells taste a bit too heavy on the basil side.
Pro tip: I always try to buy my vegetables and herbs from the local farmer’s market because the quality of flavor makes a huge difference! Plus, I love to support my community and the environment, and you can’t beat the piece of mind of knowing exactly where your food comes from. I encourage you to check out your local farms (if you haven’t already) and see what they have to offer!
Step 1:
Start by preheating the oven the 350°F. Then bring a pot of water to boil and cook the jumbo shells according to their package instructions.
Step 2:
Next up, I like to get my chopping out of the way! So for this recipe, I start by chopping the spinach, parsley, green onion, and basil. Peel the garlic cloves, but don’t worry about chopping them since they’ll just go straight into the blender.
Step 3:
Time to make the cashew ricotta. To a high speed blender, add the soaked cashews, tofu, water, lemon juice, rice vinegar, garlic cloves, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Step 4:
Scoop the cashew ricotta into a large bowl and add the chopped spinach, parsley, green onions, basil, and seasonings. Mix until it’s well combined and the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Step 5:
Time to fill those shells! But before you start, coat the bottom of your baking dish with a little marinara so the shells don’t stick. Then, pack each shell with a few tablespoons of filling and close it up. As you can see in the picture below, the sides of the shell should be almost touching, but should not be able to overlap. Cover the shells with the rest of the marinara, making sure each one is completely coated.
Step 6:
Bake the shells for 25 mins. Allow them a few minutes to cool, and enjoy!
That’s all there is to it! I like to sprinkle some vegan parmesan on top for an extra boost of cheesy flavor. If you try this recipe and enjoy it, share it with a friend and comment down below. I always love to hear your feedback!
Cashew Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 18 jumbo shells cooked according to package instructions
- 1 1/2 cups cashews soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
- 1/2 cup tofu
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion or chives chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 24 oz. jar marinara
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and cook shells according to package instructions.
- In a high speed blender, puree cashews, tofu, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, water, and nutritional yeast.
- Scoop cashew cream to large bowl and add the fresh spinach, parsley, green onions, basil and seasonings. Mix well to combine.
- Coat the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch baking dish with a small amount of marinara. Use a spoon or ice cream scooper to fill each shell with the cashew ricotta filling and line them up in the baking dish. There should be enough filling in each shell so that the sides of the shell do not overlap when closed.
- Top with remaining marinara, making sure each shell is coated.
- Bake 25 minutes.
