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Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells With Spinach

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Learn how to make the best Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells with an unbelievable dairy-free almond ricotta and spinach mixture! Nobody will believe this is oil-free or vegan. It is the epitome of delicious comfort food!

White plate with fork and stuffed ricotta cheese shells with fresh basil

VEGAN STUFFED RICOTTA SHELLS WITH SPINACH

We all needed a delicious dish to use up that fabulous Vegan Ricotta Cheese I just posted, right? Of course, I shared it on pizza, but my goal all along was for these Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells.

Wood table with casserole dish and white plate of stuffed ricotta shells

FAVORITE MEAL BEFORE GOING VEGAN

Without a doubt, one of my husband’s favorite dishes I used to make years ago before we went vegan, was stuffed ricotta shells. Now, of course those were dairy-filled and we haven’t had stuffed shells in almost 6 years now. It. Was. Time. Not only do these taste just like the dairy version but my husband absolutely loved them and said “this is fantastic!” He also suggested this was the perfect dish to impress guests with. Not only is it beautiful and colorful, but it is so good and filling. Hey, it’s pasta! I asked for any suggestions on changes and he said, “not a thing”. Then I had my daughter taste it, she gestured 2 thumbs up and said “super yummy!” so there you have it. Of course, when I had a taste, I was ecstatic at how delicious it was.

HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGAN STUFFED RICOTTA SHELLS?

First, make my Vegan Ricotta Cheese.

Bowl of vegan almond ricotta cheese

Next, make the pizza sauce (see directions).

Vitamix of blended marinara pizza sauce

Spread 1 cup of the sauce at the bottom of the baking dish.

Red casserole dish with marinara sauce spread on bottom

Add the cooked spinach to the bowl of the ricotta cheese.

Mix the ricotta cheese with the cooked spinach, salt and Italian seasoning until it is well mixed like this.

Bowl of vegan almond ricotta cheese and spinach mixture

Fill the pasta shells with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture.

Pre-baked stuffed jumbo shells and vegan almond ricotta and spinach

Spread the remaining 2 cups of sauce in and around the pasta shells. Drizzle the centers across all of the shells. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Pre-baked red casserole dish with jumbo shells and ricotta and marinara

Garnish with fresh basil. Devour and come back and tell me that isn’t one of the yummiest dishes ever!

Jumbo pasta stuffed vegan ricotta shells with fresh basil and spinach

I’m telling you, this dish is so filling, delicious and healthy. Yet, it is totally vegan and oil-free!

Closeup view of jumbo pasta shells with vegan almond ricotta

Next time guests come over, prepare this dish. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser both visually and for making very happy tummies.

White plate with jumbo pasta stuffed shells of vegan almond ricotta cheese

White plate with fork and vegan stuffed ricotta shells and spinach

This dish is the very definition of comfort food. You know me and comfort food go hand in hand. Speaking of comfort food, have you tried this Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake?

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Vegan stuffed ricotta shells with tomato sauce.

Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells

Brandi Doming
Learn how to make the best Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells with an unbelievable dairy-free almond ricotta and spinach mixture! Nobody will believe this is oil-free or vegan. It is the epitome of delicious comfort food!
5 from 49 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Yields 4 servings (4 jumbo stuffed shells)

Ingredients

  • 16 jumbo pasta shells
  • 10 oz package fresh spinach (do not use frozen!)
  • 3 cups (720g) of my homemade pizza sauce (you'll have to double the recipe, see NOTE)
  • 1 batch of my homemade ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • fresh basil for garnish

NOTE

  • I used my homemade pizza sauce for this because it really has so much more flavor than jarred marinara and only takes 5 mins to make, but use what you like, knowing that the dish will take on the flavor you choose. If using my pizza sauce, you'll need to double the recipe and will be left with 1 extra cup of sauce and just use that for a pizza or another pasta dish.

Instructions
 

  • First, make the ricotta cheese. You will need a day in advance for this or to start soaking the almonds in the early morning to make this for dinner the day of.
  • Add 5 quarts (20 cups) water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and the pasta shells. Give it a stir and cook until almost aldente, about 9 minutes. You want the shells just slightly undercooked since they will finish cooking in the oven and don't want them mushy or falling apart.
  • Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water and set aside for a minute.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and get out a 9x13 baking dish.
  • While the pasta is boiling, add the spinach to a large pan over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring constantly until it is just wilted-you don't want to overcook it, about 3-5 minutes. Add the cooked spinach to a strainer and let it cool a couple of minutes. Pick the spinach up with your hands and squeeze to strain the excess water, trying hard to get as much out as you can.
  • Add the ricotta cheese to a large bowl with the spinach, Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to mix very well.
  • To the baking dish, add 1 cup of the pizza sauce and spread it out across the bottom. Stuff all the shells with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture carefully and place into the dish, giving a bit of space in between each one.
  • Spoon the remaining 2 cups of sauce in between and around the edges of the shells and a drizzle of it over the center of the shells (see photo). This allows the beauty of the shells to still be seen but still soak up some of that yummy sauce.
  • Place a piece of foil over the dish and bake for 30 minutes until piping hot and bubbly. You won't technically see the bubbling, but you will hear it. Remove and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Prep time does not include the soaking of the almonds for the ricotta cheese.
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword vegan stuffed ricotta shells, vegan stuffed shells with spinach, vegan almond ricotta cheese, dairy-free ricotta

 

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta Tagged With: Almonds, Cheese, Dinner, Italian, ricotta, shells, spinach, yogurt

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Comments

  1. Janis

    December 23, 2024 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made these stuffed shells many times, but I’m appreciating Brandi’s wonderful recipes once again as I make them to serve for our large family Christmas Eve gathering tomorrow. This dish is always a huge hit with both vegan and carnivores! We have so many Vegan 8 recipes that have found their way into our family standards that I am very thankful. May you have a wonderful holiday season, Brandi!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 23, 2024 at 9:34 pm

      This made me extremely happy to read Janis, thank you so much for this wonderful comment and your kind words! I am extremely grateful for you as well!

      Reply
  2. Abby Fitzgerald

    October 16, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this tonight. That ricotta reminds me of my husband’s Italian grandma’s recipe. (I did add chopped fresh parsley to the ricotta to mimic hers). Hands down one of the best things I have made from your site. Oh, I also added some chopped artichokes in with the ricotta mixture because I had some to use up. Yum!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 17, 2022 at 7:29 pm

      Wow, that is wonderful it was such a hit, thank you Abby!

      Reply
  3. Eric

    March 20, 2022 at 8:31 am

    5 stars
    Even my hardcore carnivore dad seemed to luv this! It was even more delicious the day after so next time, I’ll try to resist eating til 1 to 2 days after baking. The ricotta cheese would’ve been superb in vegan lasagna…. Definitely one of my fave recipes now.

    Reply
    • Janis

      December 23, 2024 at 1:19 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve used this ricotta to make vegan lasagna. It works wonderfully. I’ve also topped the lasagna with the potato cheese sauce from the Vegan 8 Baked Ziti recipe. And by the way, the Vegan 8 Baked Ziti is the bomb as well!

      Reply
  4. Eric

    March 13, 2022 at 9:15 pm

    How big are those pasta shells when dry and when cooked?

    Reply
  5. Natalie

    August 29, 2021 at 4:33 am

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe so much we used it for our wedding. It was a hit with non-vegans, they didn’t know it was vegan and really enjoyed it. Which was a huge relief trying to make everyone happy while not having animals on the menu, which was important to me. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 29, 2021 at 7:56 pm

      Woohoo! Love hearing that!

      Reply
  6. Tracy

    February 22, 2021 at 4:14 am

    5 stars
    This is everything! It’s easy. It’s filling. It’s pretty. And it is the most delicious dish ever!
    Make it ! You will be very happy

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 23, 2021 at 1:59 am

      Thanks so much Tracy!

      Reply
  7. Kristin Shepherd

    February 21, 2021 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    My family was completely blown away by this dish! The ricotta is to die for. A new family favorite for sure.

    Reply
  8. Marsha

    January 13, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is a huge favorite. The stuffed shells are always a big hit. One question – Can these be frozen? My daughter is due with her second child in about six weeks and I’d love to make a batch ahead to be reheated and enjoyed whenever.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 21, 2021 at 10:14 am

      Marsha I’m so sorry I missed this! I’ve never tried freezing them, but I believe it should turn out ok!

      Reply
  9. Connie

    December 29, 2020 at 5:33 am

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and my Italian husband and I LOVED it!!! It was perfect!!! I only had cashew vegan yogurt so I added a tiny bit more salt and some more vinegar. Thanks so much—we really appreciate it!!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 29, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Yay, that is so awesome to hear!!

      Reply
  10. Jen Savage

    December 10, 2020 at 3:19 am

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! I still can’t get over it. The leftovers actually tasted even better! It’s like all the flavors got together & had a party in the fridge. Lol! So incredibly good! It was well worth the effort (the silly shells kept slipping out of my hands!) & I will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  11. Marcella

    December 1, 2020 at 2:11 am

    5 stars
    Best thing I’ve ever made. You absolutely must make these. Jaw dropping good

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 1, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      Aww yay! Wow, that’s awesome to hear!

      Reply
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I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. Many of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water, but not all of them. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! read more →

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