Move over, lasagna. My cheesy vegan pesto stuffed shells are in town and they're takin' over. Jumbo shells stuffed with homemade basil pesto & herby tofu ricotta, then slathered in a ragu style sauce makes for the most deliciously comforting pasta dish you didn't even know you needed ... until now.
Ingredients
Tofu Ricotta
1 - 14 oz package extra firm tofu, drained of excess liquid and crumbled
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
Basil Pesto
3 packed cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed
1 cup olive oil
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup pine nuts
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
Stuffed Shells and Sauce
14 oz jumbo stuffed shells
2 TBS olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
¾ LB vegan sausage
2 - 28 oz cans fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
2 tsp coconut sugar
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Fresh cracked black pepper
1½ cups vegan mozzarella shreds, divided
Fresh basil, for serving
Vegan parmesan, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Tofu Ricotta
In a blender or food processor, pulse the ingredients until nice and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place in a large bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
Basil Pesto
In a blender or food processor, pulse the ingredients until nice and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place ½ cup of pesto in the same bowl with the tofu ricotta. Set the rest aside.
Stuffed Shells and Sauce
Cooked shells until barely al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan on medium heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
Add vegan sausage and crumble into bite size pieces with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Cook until the sausage is browned, about 5-8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
In the large bowl with the tofu ricotta and ½ cup pesto, add 1 cup mozzarella shreds and mix to combine well.
To assemble, ladle ¾ of the prepared sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Working with one pasta shell at a time, carefully spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into each shell, placing the shell into the baking dish as you go. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella over the shells, then the rest of the sauce. Last, spoon the remaining pesto over everything. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and cook uncovered until lightly browned and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and vegan parmesan shreds. Enjoy!
Recipe by Eat Figs, Not Pigs at https://www.eatfigsnotpigs.com/cheesy-vegan-pesto-stuffed-shells/