🎃 Vegan Pumpkin Stuffed Shells with Cashew Spinach Ricotta
Serves: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
🧄 Ingredients
For the Cashew Spinach Ricotta
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 20–30 minutes, then drained)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp salt (more to taste)
- ¼ cup water (more as needed for blending)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry)
For the Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can pumpkin purée
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened plant milk (soy, oat, or almond)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Shells
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (use gluten-free if needed)
🥄 Instructions
- Cook the shells:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook shells until al dente (they’ll bake later, so don’t overcook). Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. - Make the ricotta:
In a blender or food processor, blend cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and water until smooth and creamy.
Stir in the chopped spinach by hand (or pulse lightly if you want it fully incorporated). Taste and adjust seasoning. - Make the pumpkin sauce:
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in pumpkin purée, plant milk, nutritional yeast, salt, nutmeg, paprika, and pepper. Simmer 3–4 minutes until warm and creamy. - Assemble:
Spread 1 cup of pumpkin sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Stuff each shell with a generous spoonful of cashew spinach ricotta and place them in the dish, open side up. - Top and bake:
Pour remaining pumpkin sauce evenly over the shells. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. - Serve:
Garnish with fresh sage, thyme, or vegan parmesan. Serve warm and enjoy that creamy, cozy goodness!
🌿 Tips
- Make the cashew ricotta and sauce ahead of time to save prep on busy days.
- For extra richness, stir a spoonful of vegan cream cheese or butter into the sauce.
- Leftovers keep well — store covered in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months.