Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

Vegetarians, rejoice! These hearty vegetarian stuffed shells are one of the best pasta dishes to add to your weekly meal rotation. They’re easy to make, they store well and they’re filled to the brim with cheesy broccoli, herbs and sweet tomato sauce.

The process for making these stuffed shells is identical to making traditional, meat-filled shells—just without the meat. Instead, you’ll be loading jumbo shells with a creamy, cheesy filling, chopped broccoli and basil. The result is a dish that’ll satisfy any comfort food craving and leave you with enough leftovers to enjoy all over again.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

• Jumbo pasta shells: For the easiest stuffing process, slightly undercook the shells.
• Three cheeses: Vegetarian stuffed shells require a good mix of cheeses. For this recipe, you’ll be using park-skim ricotta, part-skim mozzarella and shredded Parmesan cheese. You can also use whole-milk versions of both the ricotta and mozzarella.
• Broccoli: This recipe uses frozen broccoli, thawed, for the softest texture. You can use fresh broccoli, but you’ll need to steam it until it’s soft before adding. Additionally, make sure that you chop the broccoli well.
• Egg whites: Egg whites help to bind the cheese, broccoli and herbs together for easier stuffing.
• Seasonings: You’ll be using minced fresh or dried basil, garlic salt and pepper to season the filling.
• Meatless spaghetti sauce: Your favorite ready-made jar will do, or if you have the time to make your own, this is a particularly tasty recipe. The extra step will be worth the effort.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, rinse it in cold water and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the filling

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, mozzarella, egg whites, basil, garlic salt and pepper. Set this aside as well.

Step 3: Stuff the shells

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread half the spaghetti sauce into a 13×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Stuff the pasta shells with the ricotta mixture, then arrange the shells over the spaghetti sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta.

Step 4: Bake the dish

Cover the dish and bake it for 25 minutes. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pasta, then bake it again until heated through, about five minutes longer.

Vegetarian Stuffed Shell Variations

• Add spinach: Finely chop fresh spinach and add it to the sauce and/or inside the ricotta cheese mixture.
• Swap out the broccoli: Broccoli is simply made for the recipe, but if you’d prefer something different, try de-seeded squash, mushrooms, onions or any other vegetables you like. You can even saute a mix of veggies and throw them all in together.
• Change up the cheeses: You can use half ricotta and half cottage cheese, sub sharp cheddar for the mozzarella, or really any variety of cheeses you prefer.

How to Store Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

The best way to store leftovers is by keeping them in the pan you cooked them in, covering it with aluminum foil and popping the whole thing in the fridge. This way, you can easily warm the shells again in the oven (or grab a spoonful if you’d like a single serving).

Can you freeze vegetarian stuffed shells?

Yes. These are a fabulous dish to make ahead of time and freeze for months down the road. Your best bet is to prepare them in a freezer-safe throwaway foil dish with a cover. You’ll cook the shells and assemble, but not do a final bake (you can, but they’ll taste better if you wait to do this step). When you’re ready to eat the stuffed shells, remove them from the freezer, thaw them overnight in the fridge, then bake as the recipe calls for.

Vegetarian Stuffed Shell Tips

Can you make this vegetarian stuffed shells recipe gluten-free?

Yes. To make the swap from this recipe to a gluten-free one, you’ll simply exchange the regular jumbo shells for a gluten-free version. Depending on how strict you need to be, you may also want to grate your cheeses rather than buy already-shredded cheese, as often a flour filler has been added to keep grated cheese from clumping together.

How do I keep the shells from splitting?

Your best bet for keeping shells from splitting is to only partially cook them prior to filling. The key is to make sure they’re tender, but still firm. Typically, this is around eight minutes of cooking time. Additionally, you can use a long-handled, slender spoon, which may keep the shells from stretching too wide during the filling process.

What should I serve with vegetarian stuffed shells?

Stuffed shells and savory garlic bread is a tried-and-true pairing that never gets old. A fresh green salad with homemade Italian dressing is another favorite side dish, and for after dinner, we recommend a nice light dessert.