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Hearty stuffed shells with a vegan spinach, garlic and herb almond ricotta
Happy New Year!
Christmas and New Years completely snuck up on me. We’ve been busy in our household between the holidays and E’s birthday party. Of course, with all of the parties came a whole lot of cooking and baking!
I made this almond ricotta for Christmas Eve dinner and it was a hit so I knew I had to put it on the blog (FYI- I ONLY put recipes up that myself and others absolutely love!).
This dish is certainly perfect for when you’re in the mood for an Italian, hearty and comforting meal.
4 easy steps, minimal ingredients and about 45 minutes to prepare!
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells
You will start by boiling your shells. This recipe will make about 15-18 shells depending on how close you can pack them in your dish, so boil about 20 or so as some will break!
When your shells are boiling, get out the food processor and start making your almond ricotta. Add all of the ingredients into the food processor and pulse really well until your mixture resembles a thick ricotta. Feel free to add a splash or two of more nut milk if you want a thinner consistency. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Note- this ricotta is green due to the spinach. Omit spinach or chop and add if you have picky eaters who don’t like green!
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and when the shells are done, drain and cool them.
Pour a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of your 9×13 dish and start stuffing the shells.
Once all of your shells are stuffed, place in the dish and top with additional marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and fresh basil. Bake for about 20 minutes and enjoy! I recommend fresh vegetables and a side salad to pair with the shells.
Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Herb Almond Ricotta
Vegan Makes about 15-18 large shells
Ingredients:
For the shells:1 box of jumbo shells
For the Marinara Sauce:1 jar of marinara sauce (oil-free if needed) OR my red lentil marinara sauce recipe here
For the Almond Ricotta:1 & 1/2 cups blanched & slivered almonds 1/2 cup nut milk + 1-2 tbsp 1/3 cup vegan yogurt + 1 tbsp (I use plain So Delicious yogurt) 1/2 cup packed spinach leaves About 5 medium basil leaves 3 tbsp nutritional yeast 4-5 tbsp lemon juice2 – 2 & 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning 2 tsp garlic powder 1 & 1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
- Boil a large pot of water and add about 20 shells. Boil according to directions on package. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add all of your almond ricotta ingredients into the food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Adjust the seasonings to your liking. I suggest adding the Italian seasoning, garlic and salt slowly as everyone’s taste preferences vary, but the way the recipe is written gives the almond ricotta a delicious garlic and herb flavor.
- Add a thin layer of marinara sauce to a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff shells, line the shells on the dish, top with marinara sauce, italian seasoning and basil. Bake for 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.
Notes:
- If your almond ricotta is grainy, add a splash more milk and keep pulsing.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking by adding more or less garlic, salt and Italian seasoning.
- If you have picky eaters who are sensitive to green, chop the spinach and add to the ricotta once it’s finished versus pulsing it in the food processor as pulsing it with the mixture turns it green.
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