Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells made with a tofu and cashew ricotta.
Servings 7 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashews OR raw hulled sunflower seeds*
- 14 oz block of firm tofu
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2 large lemon for juicing
- 1/2 large lemon for zesting
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/4 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tbsp basil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2-1 tsp salt**
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup fresh basil cut into strips
- 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella +more for topping
- 1 25 oz jar of pasta sauce or about 3 cups of homemade sauce
- 1 12 oz box of jumbo shells
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil a large pot of water and salt liberally. Boil pasta for 9 mins.
- Soak 3/4 cup cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Once they are done soaking drain and rinse with clean water.
- Into a high speed blender or food processor add the tofu (crumbled), cashews, clove of garlic, lemon juice, zest and all of the spices except the fresh basil and mozzarella. Blend until mostly smooth and you achieve a ricotta like texture. Once blended transfer to a large bowl and mix in the 1/2 cup of fresh basil and 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella.
- To a large baking dish(I used a 9x13in) add all of the pasta sauce. With a piping bag or a spoon add a heaping tablespoon of ricotta into the pasta. Place filled shells open side up into the baking dish. Repeat until you run out of ricotta. Top each filled shell with vegan mozzarella. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
*I've made this recipe with cashews and with raw hulled sunflower seeds and it works great with both.
**Some pasta sauces are saltier then others so start with 1/2 tsp and increase if needed.
This can be prepared 24 hours in advance. Just refrigerate and then pop into the oven as normal.
This recipe makes around 30-35 stuffed shells depending on baking dish size.