Vegan Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells are your next go-to family meal! Jumbo shells are stuffed with a simple homemade cashew spinach filling, nestled in marinara sauce, and baked until warm and bubbly! They’re an easy vegan meal prep!

Way back when I first became vegetarian at the age of 15, my mom wasn’t sure how to feed me! She was determined to find easy recipes that I would enjoy, as well as the rest of my family.

Around the same time, a family friend, who was a dietician, came out with a vegetarian cookbook. My mom got the cookbook, and slowly worked her way through the recipes.

One of my family’s all-time favorites from this cookbook was Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti. It used low-fat ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and spinach, covered in marinara sauce.

This recipe was so popular, that as I grew into adulthood I would make this recipe when friends came over for dinner, or as a meal-train dinner for friends who just had a baby.

It was an all-around winner!

After I became vegan I started tinkering with the recipe! It’s a little different than the original! This recipe uses jumbo shells instead of manicotti shells, and a creamy spinach cashew ricotta filling with an oil-free marinara sauce!

It has all of the delicious, warm, comforting components of the original only vegan! If you love this recipe, you’ll also enjoy my vegan lasagna recipe.

Why You’ll Vegan Stuffed Shells

• A warm and comforting pasta dish
• Family-friendly
• Simple homemade cashew ricotta filling
• Easy enough for a weeknight meal
• Special enough for a dinner party
• Oil-free
• Dairy-Free
• Gluten-Free option

Ingredients and Notes

Jumbo Shells: If you need a gluten-free version, use brown rice jumbo shells. They come in a 12 oz package. Cook all the shells, some will likely break during the cooking process, but that’s okay. You won’t need all of them! Save the rest of the shells for pasta leftovers!

Spinach Cashew Ricotta: The cashew ricotta is made with soaked and drained cashews, water, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Thaw the frozen chopped spinach, and squeeze all the water out before combining it with the ricotta. You could also use store-bought vegan ricotta to save time.

Marinara Sauce: Use a store-bought vegan marinara sauce of your choice, or make your own simple sauce using crushed tomatoes, and dried herbs, which is what I did for this recipe. Making your own sauce allows you to leave out the oil, and control the amount of added salt.

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the cashews. Boil for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to drain the cashews and set aside.

Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water to taste. Add jumbo shells, and cook until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Note: Use cooking directions on the box for specific timing.

Step 3: While the shells are cooking, add the drained cashews to a food processor or blender. Add fresh water, apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Pulse until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Squeeze the water out of the thawed frozen spinach. Add the spinach to the food processor and pulse a few times until combined.

Step 4: In a medium saucepan heat the crushed tomatoes on medium-low heat. Whisk in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Step 5: Add half of the tomato sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoon of ricotta mixture. Place the shells in the baking dish on top of the marinara. Repeat until all shells are stuffed. You should be able to fit about 16-18 stuffed shells in the baking dish.

Step 6: Top the shells with the remaining marinara sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow the shells to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Don’t overcook the shells! Drain the shells about 3-4 minutes before the recommended cooking time. They will cook again in the oven, and this will prevent the shells from becoming mushy and overcooked.
• Use an oil-free vegan marinara sauce of your choice if you’d like to skip the step of making your own!
• If you’d like to reduce the fat and calories, substitute the cashews for 14 ounces of firm tofu, water pressed out.

Storage Instructions

Make Ahead: Prepare the recipe as written, but do not bake. Cover the baking dish and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.

After Cooked: Allow it to cool completely before transferring leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Frozen: Prepare the dish as written, but do not bake. Use an aluminum foil baking pan, cover, and keep frozen for up to 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer, and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.

Reheat: When ready to reheat warm in the oven or microwave. To warm in the oven, transfer to an oven-safe dish. Lightly cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

Serving Suggestions

Top with fresh basil or parsley and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese. These vegan stuffed shells are an Italian classic! They pair nicely with a vegan Caesar salad or a light green salad with an oil-free balsamic vinaigrette!

More Comforting Vegan Pasta Recipes!