Vegan Stuffed Shells with The Best Tofu Ricotta

May 13, 2019

This crowd-pleasing Vegan Stuffed Shells recipe with the best tofu ricotta is a dairy-free spin on the classic loved by kids, meat eaters and vegans alike!

I was in vegan lasagna land when it dawned on me that I wasn’t taking full advantage of the glory that is tofu ricotta.

It’s a sinfully simple combination of drained and pressed extra firm tofu, garlic hummus, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt (basil optional!) that comes together to make a vegan ricotta that can and will knock your socks off.

You may notice that a lot of people use cashews to make dairy-free ricotta which sounds lovely but I just can’t quit this version!

Jeff requests my lasagna on the regular and I love making it because it makes a ton, as in two BIG pans. For me, that means not having to cook for two nights…cue the praise hands emoji.

Meat- and-potatoes-lover approved, people!

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells

These vegan stuffed shells are very similar to my lasagna but instead of layering the noodles, veggies, ricotta, and sauce, we’re simply stuffing the cute little shells with ricotta and dousing everything in marinara.

First thing’s first—press your tofu so we don’t have watery ricotta on our hands. I’ve sworn by this tofu press for years.

Next, boil those shells. You’ll see them referred to as jumbo shells as the store. You’ll want to cook them just until al dente since they’ll cook in they’ll continue to cook in the oven. Once they’re done, rinse with cold water to help prevent sticking.

A few shells will likely break, but don’t fret. As I mentioned earlier, this makes a LOT of stuffed shells (leftovers lover in the house!); note that the recipe can easily be halved.

Next up we’ll use the pressed tofu to make the ricotta. I like to fold in fresh basil or spinach for a nice pop of flavor and green color.

The we spread with a luscious marinara layer in the bottom of the big baking dish to keep things nice and moist. (I love this white baker because its’ huge.) No dry shell business up in here!

After stuffing the ricotta into the shells, we’ll top everything in more marinara, cover the pan with foil, and bake. You know I never discourage a little post bake fresh basil, either.

Which Marinara Sauce is Best?

We like things saucy. Rao’s is my favorite marinara by a landslide. It has an incredibly rich flavor and contains zero added sugar like most other sauces. I find that Kirkland organic marinara tastes extremely similar and is much cheaper so we grab a three-pack every time we go to Costco!

This is a crowd pleasing recipe if I ever saw one! Since it’s packed with plant-powered protein, these stuffed shells are a super satisfying AN filling meal. I wholeheartedly guarantee this will become a regular in your dinner rotation. Now go put your lasagna pants on!!

CRAVING MORE PASTA? DON’T MISS MY OTHER GO-TO RECIPES!

Please let me know how this vegan lasagna turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! I hope you adore it as much as Jeff does… 🙂