Vegan Stuffed Shells with Spinach Tofu Ricotta (Easy & Comforting)
Take pasta night to the next level with these easy oven-baked vegan stuffed shells with spinach tofu ricotta. A cozy, comforting plant-based dinner the whole family will love!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Stuffed Shells 🩷
- Crowd-pleasing: Italian-inspired comfort food is the best! This dish has a cozy feel and familiar flavors that everyone will love.
- Healthy and nourishing: These vegan stuffed shells are dairy-free, thanks to a delicious whipped spinach tofu ricotta filling. As a result, they are significantly lower in fat and cholesterol than cheese-based stuffed shells.
- Fuss-free: Don’t be intimidated by the idea of stuffing pasta! The prep is simple and straightforward—no fancy skills required!
Ingredients You’ll Need 🛒
- Marinara sauce: If you’re using store-bought marinara sauce, check the label to pick a brand that meets your dietary needs (e.g., low-sodium, oil-free). I used Lucini Organic Tuscan Tomato, which has no added sugar.
- Jumbo pasta shells: Opt for certified gluten-free if needed. I like to boil a few extra in case some break. You can always serve the extra pasta with marinara sauce or add it to my Minestrone Soup.
- Firm tofu: Firm tofu yields the most ricotta-like texture. Feel free to substitute extra-firm tofu if that’s all that’s available. It will still work but don’t press it first, so it stays on the softer side.
- Fresh spinach: Frozen will also work, but thaw first and use a bit less.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: For a touch of acidity to brighten up the ricotta flavor. I used the juice of about 1 medium lemon. If you go beyond the amount called for in the recipe, be sure to add it in increments, tasting as you go, because too much can push the ricotta into sour territory.
- White miso paste: Adds a subtle savory flavor and complexity.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds depth and a hint of cheese-like flavor.
- Unsweetened soy milk: Soy milk adds a richer, creamier texture. Unsweetened oat milk or almond milk are fine substitutes.
- Italian seasoning: A dried blend of spices commonly used in Italian cooking. You can use a store-bought blend or make your own by combining equal parts dried basil, oregano, and thyme.
- Kosher salt: Optional, but recommended. If you are restricting sodium intake for health reasons or your marinara sauce is high in sodium, feel free to omit.
- Freshly ground black pepper: To enhance the flavor. Add to taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells (Step by Step) 🥄
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spoon 1½ cups of marinara sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish.
Step 2: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the shells, reduce the heat slightly, and boil, uncovered, for 10 to 13 minutes or until al dente (tender with some bite).
Step 3: Drain the cooked shells in a colander and let them cool until they are comfortable enough to handle.
Step 4: While the pasta is cooking and cooling, add to a food processor the tofu, 1 handful of spinach, lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pulse until the spinach is broken down, then add the rest of the spinach and continue pulsing until the spinach tofu ricotta has a creamy, textured consistency. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired (but go slowly—too much can tip the ricotta into sour territory).
Step 5: Scoop the vegan ricotta filling into the cooled shells, and place them in the prepared casserole dish.
Step 6: Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of marinara sauce over the shells if you prefer the filling to be visible (reserve the rest of sauce for serving on the side). Alternatively, spoon all the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells.
Step 7: Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the shells are cooked through.
Step 8: Enjoy plain or garnished with fresh basil leaves and/or vegan Parmesan. Serve any remaining marinara sauce warmed at the bottom of the serving bowls or plates or on the side.
Substitutions and Variations 🔄
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta shells.
- Sauce: Substitute cauliflower Alfredo sauce or butternut squash sauce for the marinara.
- No spinach: Not a fan of spinach? Substitute the spinach tofu ricotta with basil tofu ricotta.
Equipment 🍲
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium pot
- Colander
- Cutting board and knife (for the lemon)
- Food processor
- 9×13-inch casserole dish
- Spoon
- Aluminum foil
Serving Suggestions 🥗
These baked vegan stuffed shells pair perfectly with Italian chopped salad, roasted veggies, and/or crusty bread.
Storage ❄️
Store leftover vegan stuffed shells in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Pro Tip for Perfect Vegan Stuffed Shells ✨
- Use your discretion as to the amount of sauce to add over the shells before baking them. If you like the ricotta filling to be visible (and show off your stuffing skills!), do not cover them with the full amount of sauce before adding them to the oven. Instead, just drizzle them with a couple spoonfuls. When serving, spoon warmed extra marinara sauce in a shallow bowl or plate and rest the shells on top.
- If you aren’t concerned with presentation and just want to get dinner ready with the least amount of fuss possible, simply blanket the shells with the rest of the sauce before popping them in the oven.
FAQ ❓
Absolutely! Assemble them up to a day before you intend to serve them, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Add an extra 5 to 10 minutes of bake time, as they’ll start off colder coming from the fridge.
Yes! Prepare the casserole dish, wrap it tightly, and freeze it for later. When you’re ready to eat it, bake it at 350°F, covered with foil, for approximately 1 hour.
Homemade cashew ricotta will work as a substitute, or check for store-bought vegan ricotta to save time.
Stir the shells periodically while you are boiling them to keep them from sticking together and breaking. I recommend cooking a few extra shells just in case some break. You can always put the broken bits loose around the edges of the casserole or save them to use in soup, like my Vegan Minestrone.
Vegan Stuffed Shells with Spinach Tofu Ricotta (Easy & Comforting)
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium pot
- colander
- cutting board and knife (for the lemon)
- 9×13-inch casserole dish
- spoon
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 16 jumbo pasta shells (plus a few extra in case some break)
- 1 (15-ounce) block firm tofu
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of about 1 medium lemon; you may prefer a touch more)
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1½ tablespoons unsweetened soy milk or other unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (optional, but recommended; omit for lower sodium)
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spoon 1½ cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the shells, reduce the heat slightly, and boil, uncovered, for 10 to 13 minutes or until al dente (tender with some bite).
- Remove the shells from heat and drain in a colander. Let them cool in the colander until they are a comfortable temperature to handle.
- While the pasta is cooking and cooling, add to a food processor the tofu, 1 handful of spinach, lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pulse until the spinach is broken down. Add the rest of the spinach and continue pulsing until the ricotta has a creamy, textured consistency. Taste and add an additional squeeze of lemon juice if desired, but go slowly—adding too much can tip the ricotta into sour territory.
- Scoop the ricotta into the cooled shells. Carefully place the stuffed shells in the prepared casserole dish. Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of marinara sauce over the shells if you prefer the filling to be visible (reserve the rest of sauce for serving). Alternatively, spoon all the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells.
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the shells are cooked through.
- Enjoy as is or garnished with fresh basil leaves and/or vegan Parmesan. Serve any remaining marinara sauce warmed at the bottom of the serving bowls or plates or on the side.
Notes
- Store leftover vegan stuffed shells in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Tried This Recipe? Leave a Review! 📣
I hope you love this recipe for vegan stuffed shells! It’s a surprisingly easy plant-based baked pasta dish that everyone will love. If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating and a comment below to let me know how it turned out. Don’t forget to save this recipe for vegan stuffed shells on Pinterest for future reference. And, be sure to check out my other cozy dinner recipes for more delicious inspiration!
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