Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
These Vegan Stuffed Shells are made with jumbo shells, marinara, and my homemade ricotta. All you need is 10 simple ingredients and 1 hour to bake this family favorite!
There’s few things I enjoy more than curling up with a big bowl of Vegan Stuffed Shells. Jumbo shells stuffed to the brim with savory plant-based ricotta cheese, then smothered in saucey marinara and a generous sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese. The extra time spent in the kitchen is worth every last bite!
Table of Contents
The Cozy, Cheesy Comfort Classic You Know and Love
Growing up, my mom made the best stuffed shells. I developed my love for pasta and cheese with regular ol’ pasta dishes like Tomato Basil Pasta, Penne alla Vodka, and Cheesy “Beef” Pasta, but when momma made stuffed shells for the holidays or special occasions it was a real treat.
I’m proud to declare these vegan stuffed shells equally as cozy, creamy and satisfying as the dish I remember. Not to mention, this pasta dish is made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients to boot!
Ingredients for Vegan Stuffed Shells
In order to make stuffed shells, you really only need 3 ingredients, 2 of which may be in your kitchen pantry right now!
- Pasta Shells: The pasta used when making stuffed shells is what sets it apart from recipes like baked ziti or lasagna. Any jumbo-sized pasta shells should do here. Most shelf stable, store-bought pasta is naturally eggless and vegan-friendly.
- Marinara sauce: I typically go the store-bought route to make things as quick and easy as possible, but your favorite store-bought or homemade marinara will do.
- Vegan ricotta cheese: The ricotta cheese used to stuff these shells is a slight variation of my classic vegan ricotta cheese recipe. It’s made with a few of my favorite savory add-ins such as Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and freshly cracked black pepper to boost the overall flavor.
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells
- Par-cook the jumbo shells until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spread the shells out on a baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Process the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and zest, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a food processor until a smooth and creamy ricotta cheese forms. Transfer to a bowl and combine with the freshly chopped basil.
- Spread one cup of marinara sauce in the base of a baking dish.
- Stuff the pasta shells with 1-2 tablespoons of vegan ricotta cheese mixture, then place shells cut side-up in the baking dish. Repeat until the remaining ricotta cheese mixture is used and all shells are stuffed.
- Cover with remaining marinara sauce and optional vegan parmesan cheese, then bake for about 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
- Serve warm with additional chopped fresh basil, or as desired.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
Vegan stuffed shells, unfortunately, are more time-intensive compared to some of my other pasta dishes, such as dump and bake vegan mushroom stroganoff, no-boil chickpea noodle casserole, vegan macaroni and cheese, or even lasagna. Regardless, here are a few actionable tips to make your next stuffed shell attempt your best (and least messy) one yet:
- Don’t overcook your pasta. Most stuffing shell boxes (gluten-free varieties included) will have a modified boiling time listed specifically for when used to make stuffed shells. Whatever you do, don’t fully cook your pasta! We want the noodles to be slightly undercooked because they will continue cooking during the oven bake. A good rule of thumb is to cut the cooking time in half, then add 2 minutes.
- A piping bag makes things so much easier. The unfortunate truth is…stuffing shells with a spoon can quickly turn into a frustrating, hot mess. Use a piping bag (or cut the corner off of a plastic baggie) to precisely place the perfect amount of filling in each shell. This not only keeps your hands from getting dirty, but prevents wasted ricotta cheese, too!
- Keep the pasta shells separated. The more opportunity the shells have to stick together, the more likely they are to break. Cook your pasta in a pot with plenty of water, so nothing sticks together. Then, rinse the noodles gently with cool water (for gluten-free), and immediately separate the shells and place them on a baking tray. Yes it’s an extra dish, but prevents excess breakage!
Serving Suggestions
In order to let the classic flavors in this stuffed shells dish shine, I like to pair it with simple sides, such as my simple and delicious Tomato Cucumber Salad or a green salad drizzled with Tahini Dressing or Nut Free Ranch. You also can’t go wrong with serving with my 3-Ingredient Pesto Star Bread to soak up that marinara goodness!
If you’re looking for more baked pasta recipes, you’ll also love these Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells and this Vegan Chorizo Pasta with Roasted Tomato Sauce! You’ll also love my One Pot Pasta Recipes.
How to Store Leftover Baked Stuffed Shells
These jumbo shells can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat multiple servings at once, heat the oven to 375F and cook leftovers in an oven safe dish tightly covered with tinfoil for 20 to 25 minutes, or until warmed through. Alternatively, place an individual serving in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat on high power in 30 second intervals until warmed through.
I have not attempted to freeze these vegan stuffed shells, but if you have success, please let me know!
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free jumbo shells made from ingredients such as brown rice or corn.
- Oil-free option: Use an oil-free marinara sauce and skip the dairy-free parmesan cheese topping.
- Use store-bought vegan ricotta cheese: If you are short on time, use a store-bought vegan ricotta from brands like Kite Hill or Tofutti.
- Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells variation: If you’d like to boost the nutritional content of your stuffed shells, add up to 6 ounces of frozen spinach or cooked spinach to the ricotta cheese mix for extra veggies! Just be sure to thaw it completely and squeeze as much of the extra liquid out as possible.
- Make-ahead option: Prep the vegan ricotta cheese recipe up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to stuff.
Recipe FAQs
Although I’ve developed several no-boil vegan pasta bake recipes to date, this recipe is unfortunately not one of them. In order to successfully make stuffed shells, the pasta absolutely must be par-boiled before baking.
Covered! This is going to sufficiently heat the ricotta cheese and marinara sauce resulting in a bubbly, cheesy final dish. If you’re out of tin foil, cover your baking dish with a silicone baking mat.
Contrary to popular belief, adding oil to the boiling water does not help prevent the pasta from sticking together. Instead, use a pot large enough to give the shells ample room to par-boil.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
The Best Vegan Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Shells:
- 8 ounces jumbo pasta shells gluten-free or regular
- Vegan Ricotta below
- 6 ounces frozen spinach thawed and drained; optional
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil chopped
- 25 ounce jar pasta/marinara sauce of choice
- 1/2-1 cup dairy-free parmesan optional
For the Vegan Ricotta:
- 1 block organic firm or extra firm tofu
- 1 cup cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3-5 cloves of garlic
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest about ½ small lemon
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 375F. Grease a 9×13" baking dish and set aside. Set a baking sheet aside as well.
- Par-cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and par-cook the jumbo shells according to the stuffed shell cooking instructions on the package. (If your shells don’t have this, cut the cooking time of the pasta in half, then add two minutes). Once the noodles have finished cooking, carefully drain them and rinse with cold water, then transfer them to the baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Make the Ricotta: Add the tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and zest, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to a food processor with an S-blade. Process until smooth and creamy, 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and fold in the spinach and freshly chopped basil.
- Stuff the Shells: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the base of the baking dish. Use a spoon, cookie dough scoop, or piping bag to fill each shell, gently close it, then place it cut side-up in the pan. The amount of ricotta needed will vary on the size of the shell; I was able to fit around 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in each shell. Repeat with the remaining shells.
- Bake: Cover the shells with the remaining marinara and cheese, if using. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Top with additional fresh basil if desired, then serve warm. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Jumbo Shells: If you have extra shells, I’d recommend cooking 10 ounces instead of 8; a few shells inevitably crack, and this way you’ll have a few extras just in case!
- Spinach: I like to use frozen spinach as it is pre-cooked and saves a step in the assembly process. Make sure to thoroughly squeeze any excess liquid out of the spinach to prevent the filling from getting runny; it should be near-dry.
- Make Ahead: You can make the vegan ricotta filling up to 3 days in advance – just store in the fridge in the meantime! I’d recommend folding in the spinach and basil the day-of cooking the shells.
If I were to add in a vegan bechamel to this, do you think I need to add to the baking time? Making this without it now. Can’t wait
I’d first check on it at the suggested baking time and increase if you think the bechamel could go longer, though I’d also keep in mind that you don’t want the pasta to overcook. If you want the bechamel to brown slightly, you can also try removing the foil at the end and baking for an additional 5 minutes.
This was a hit! I couldn’t find pasta shells so I ended up buying jumbo rigatoni and made the recipe as a pasta bake instead. I also added spinach and topped with vegan cheese. The ricotta recipe was stellar!
Thank you so much, Noelle!
Made this for dinner and it was so good! Caitlin’s recipes never disappoint so I was delighted to find a stuffed shell recipe. It was the perfect dinner and the ricotta will definitely be making an appearance in other meals.
Side note: piping the shells was an A+ tip and there was no mess.
Thanks, Ashley! So glad to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂
This looks delicious! Is it possible to use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
You can, but I would recommend cooking it down first
I can’t wait to make it! First of all it looks delicious, secondly I read the comments and everyone is so enthusiastic about it! Even non vegans liked it, just what I’m looking for. Thanks for the recipe, and the beautiful pictures. I’ll try it soon!
Let us know how you like it!
I made this for my younger cousins (non-vegan) along with some vegan garlic bread and salad and they LOVED it. I’m happy to have this in my recipe arsenal, it was absolutely delicious.
So happy to hear you were able to share it with your cousins! Thanks for making!
Forgot to give it a 5 star!
Much appreciated!
So delicious! My husband loved it. Very creamy and the basil was a great touch.
Any chance you have the nutritional values? Wasn’t sure if I missed it or if you had it.
Thanks!
So glad you both enjoyed it! Out of personal philosophy we don’t calculate calories/nutritional info but you can use something like Cronometer to figure that out for any meal!
This looks amazing! What pan are you using for baking in the oven ? Is it ceramic?
Can’t wait to try!
A ceramic casserole dish!
This meal was DIVINE! Caitlin thank you for putting so much time into each recipe, the quality shows! I made it for Valentine’s Day and my boyfriend loved it:)
Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad your boyfriend loved it!
Amazing recipe! Turned out great. Highly recommend!
Thank you!
This was absolutely delicious! We added some mushrooms in the marinara sauce before putting it in the baking dish and my non-vegan family loved it. Thanks Caitlin for another amazing recipe <3
That’s so awesome! When ever non-vegans love a recipe, I consider that a win!
I made this recipe for a holiday potluck. Everyone loved it, even my non-veggie friends! I will definitely be making these stuffed shells again.
Love it! Thanks so much!
Delicious! I added mushrooms to the sauce and ricotta mixture, and added spinach to the ricotta as well. Turned out amazing!! Thank you Caitlin ❤️
Sounds heavenly! Thanks for making!
This recipe is amazing ???????? I loved it, my non vegan family loved it!
Always love hearing when non vegans are enjoying some vegan eats!
Loved this recipe! The vegan ricotta is so good – had to resist eating it with a spoon. Took it along with a SAD version to a holiday pot luck and the vegan version was gone first. I made my own marinara sauce and I used a hemp seed/nutritional yeast vegan parmesan recipe for the topping. Yummy! Thank you Caitlin. Your recipes never disappoint!
Ah! So glad it was a hit! Thank you so much!
Do you need to press the tofu?
Nope!
I’m assuming not but should you press the tofu to get rid of the juice?
That’s right, no need to press!
Do you have any recommendations of good brands of vegan cheeses like the parmesan you used?
Have you tried Violife? If not definitely give that one a try!
This looks amazing! I’ve never seen gluten free shells like these-what brand do you use? Thanks!
These are brown rice shells! Here’s the link.