Vegan Stuffed Shells – Easy High Protein Recipe (No Cashews!)

Homemade Vegan Stuffed Shells are such an easy and comforting gourmet high-protein vegan dinner!

Why you’ll love these vegan peels

• This recipe is perfect for a potluck, holiday, or weekend family dinner.
• Low-fat, low-calorie, cholesterol-free, Contains over 27g of protein per serving!
• I made it once for customers visiting from out of town, and I don’t think they even knew it was vegan. One of my friends asked me when I started eating dairy again. that how good it is This plant-based Italian stuffed crust tastes great.
• The cheesy filling requires only three ingredients and no cashews. This meat-free dish is completely nut-free and dairy-free, and there’s also an oil-free option.

Dessert suggestions: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step-by-step recipe video

The entire recipe comes together in less than 40 minutes from start to finish. Simply boil and drain the pasta, add a rich non-dairy ricotta cheese filling, and let the oven do the rest.

It’s quick, quick and so easy.

Serve with steamed or roasted vegetables, or with a side salad and toasted garlic bread, for a healthy, filling vegetarian meal that even meat-eaters can enjoy.

This doesn’t taste exactly like the classic stuffed shell recipe with dairy cheese, and it shouldn’t. The peel is irreplaceable and is completely delicious on its own.

Vegan Shell Stuffing

Tomato Sauce – For the quickest option, use your family’s favorite bottled pasta sauce. Or try making your own tomato pasta sauce at home.

For a white stuffed crust variation, use cauliflower alfredo sauce or vegan alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce.

tofu – The recipe calls for 22 ounces of firm tofu, which can be purchased in the refrigerated section of your grocery or health food store. We’ve also included soy-free alternatives in the recipe box below. Or you could substitute mashed white beans or homemade cashew ricotta cheese.

Nutritional Yeast – This ingredient adds a cheesy flavor to tofu ricotta. If possible, buy fortified nutritional yeast. It contains numerous vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, an important nutrient that vegetarians must include in their diet. If you like, substitute an equal amount of vegan Parmesan cheese instead of the yeast.

Spices – Onion powder, salt, and dried oregano add flavor to the crust filling. You can also add other spices as desired, such as pepper, nutmeg, dried thyme, or rosemary.

spinach – I like to mix chopped frozen spinach or kale into the filling for added calcium, iron, and nutrients. The vibrant green color makes your hotpot even prettier! If you’re serving picky eaters or simply prefer stuffed shells, it’s okay to omit the spinach.

Oil or Water – Adding a couple of tablespoons of water or oil (I like olive oil) adds moisture to the filling and makes the tofu soft. You can use oil for a richer flavor, but the recipe is still delicious if you use water instead.

Vegan cheese (optional) – Some people like to top the filled shell with melty shredded mozzarella cheese. I often skip this step, but you can sprinkle your favorite non-dairy cheese on top before baking in the oven.

What type of pasta works best?

You will need 8 ounces of uncooked eggless jumbo shells. This is readily available in the pasta section of most local grocery stores.

Packaged whole-wheat, low-carb, or gluten-free pasta shells are often harder to find. So if you want one of these special options but can’t find it, substitute manicotti tubes or cannelloni.

Another option is to make lasagna roll-ups with cooked lasagna noodles instead of the shells.

Not enough time for dinner? Cook macaroni, penne, spaghetti or small pasta shells and serve in a bowl with a mixture of curd ricotta and tomato sauce. No need for stuffing.

Still craving pasta? Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese or Vegan Cacio e Pepe

How to Make Dairy-Free Stuffed Shell Pasta

1. Begin by cooking shell pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain but do not rinse.
2. Meanwhile, mash the tofu in a large mixing bowl. Add nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, and oregano and stir until evenly combined.
3. Thaw frozen spinach, wipe off excess moisture and coarsely chop. Stir spinach and optional oil or water into tofu mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F or 176°C.
5. Spread about one-third of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan, using a spatula to evenly cover the bottom of the pan.
6. Divide the tofu and vegan ricotta filling among the cooked pasta. Then arrange the crusts over the sauce in the prepared pan.
7. Spread all of the remaining sauce over the filled shells. Sprinkle with vegan cheese, if using.
8. Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and cover the top of the pan with a baking sheet or tin foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Carefully remove the cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and bubbly and the skin looks slightly golden.
10. While the dish is baking in the oven, I like to add some tomato sauce to the stuffed shells, so I like to warm up some extra sauce before serving.

Serve hot on a plate or bowl. Let leftovers cool before covering the pan or transferring to a covered container and refrigerating.

Stored in the refrigerator, the recipe will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Or freeze them in an airtight container for an easy vegan meal prep option. Thaw and reheat before eating.

Healthier Vegan Dinner Recipes

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Sweet Potato Salad

Chickpea Vegetable Soup

Vegan Quiche

Avocado Salad

Creamy Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes

Cauliflower Soup

Vegan Ramen

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole