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Vegan Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Vegan pumpkin ricotta stuffed shells with tofu-cashew ricotta baked until the vegan mozzarella bubbles and the jumbo shells stay tender. A creamy orange pumpkin sauce plus herb-seasoned filling makes these shells sliceable and saucy, straight from a 9x13 baking dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Jumbo pasta shells
  • 20 jumbo pasta shells Cooked al dente; enough to be stuffed.
Vegan ricotta
  • 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu Pressed before blending.
  • 0.5 cup cashew cream Blend smooth with tofu.
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast For savory ricotta flavor.
  • 2 cloves garlic Blend into ricotta.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Seasoning for ricotta.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste, for ricotta.
Vegan pumpkin sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Use plain pumpkin puree.
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut cream Stir into pumpkin sauce.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced for sauce.
  • 0.5 cup vegetable broth Helps loosen sauce.
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast Adds savory depth.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Seasoning for sauce.
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg Warm spice note.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste, for sauce.
Topping
  • 1 vegan mozzarella For bubbling on top.
  • 1 fresh basil Garnish after baking.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating of oil or spray for easy release.
Make vegan pumpkin sauce
  1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, coconut cream, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, and salt and pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and creamy.
  4. Pour most of the sauce into the greased baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Blend vegan ricotta
  1. Press the firm tofu, then blend it with cashew cream, nutritional yeast, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper until completely smooth.
Stuff and bake
  1. Stuff each cooked jumbo shell with the tofu-cashew ricotta, then nestle the filled shells into the pumpkin sauce in the baking dish.
  2. Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells to coat them evenly.
  3. Top with vegan mozzarella in an even layer.
  4. Bake at 375F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the shells are heated through and the vegan mozzarella is bubbling.
  5. Garnish with fresh basil right before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest tofu-cashew ricotta, blend until fully smooth and let it sit 2-3 minutes so it thickens slightly for easier stuffing. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat covered at 350F until warm. Freezing is not recommended because pasta texture can soften after thawing. For a nut-free version, replace cashew cream with a nut-free ricotta-style cream (or blended sunflower seed cream) while keeping the rest the same.