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Vegan Stuffed Shells with superfood kale and savory pumpkin are easy enough for a weeknight, yet impressive enough for guests.
My favorite stuffed shells recipe is from Terry Walter’s cookbook, Clean Food, and calls for tofu and kale. It is so good!
This recipe for Pumpkin & Kale Vegan Stuffed Shells is loosely based off of that one, but with different flavors. I think this worked out really well and turned out to be there perfect fall dish!
If you’ve never worked with tofu before, this is a really easy way to get started.
It plays the part of ricotta, which you would find in traditional recipes.
Simply crumble it into a bowl and mix with the other ingredients. Easy!
Top this stuffed shells casserole dish with a quick and easy homemade tomato sauce and throw it in the oven for about 30 minutes and dinner is served!
It’s looks complicated, but anyone can make this!
This can easily be made ahead and stored in the fridge overnight until you are ready to bake.
I haven’t yet tried freezing it, but I imagine that would work too.
You could top this with vegan cheese if you wish, but I prefer without.
The kids ate this right up!
More vegan pasta recipes
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta
- Vegan Hummus Pasta
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Vegan White Sauce Pasta
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Pumpkin and Kale Vegan Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Pumpkin Kale Filling
- 1 box (12 oz) jumbo shells gluten free, if desired
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin purée
- 1 block (14 or 16 oz) firm tofu drained and pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 cup chopped kale
Tomato Sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil optional (for oil-free use 3-4 tablespoons water)
- ½ large sweet onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook shells according to package directions. You want the shells al dente so they don’t fall apart, so check them often to make sure they don’t get too soft. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- While shells are cooking, start the sauce. Add oil (or 3-4 tablespoons water for oil-free) to a sauce pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. (If using water instead of oil, add another tablespoon of water as needed if onion and garlic starts to stick as water evaporates). Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper (about ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, but add more or less to your tastes) and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu and add the pumpkin, sage and kale. Mix thoroughly.
- Pour about ¼ cup of sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 pan and spread evenly. Stuff each shell with the pumpkin/kale mixture and place in single layer in the pan. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the shells.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until heated through.
Sarah says
Pumpkin and pasta are so perfect together! I make something similar with lasagna noodles but I know my girls would love these shells!
Jenn S. says
Lasagna noodles sound great too…and probably easier. 🙂
Beth says
Those look so good! My husband would love these! If I sneak the tofu in! He’ll never know the difference! 🙂
Jenn S. says
Just don’t tell him…he’ll probably never know! 🙂 Thanks, Beth!
Kavita Favelle | Kavey Eats says
I’m like you, I really enjoy pumpkin and squashes at this time of year, it’s one of the reasons the autumn larder is such a favourite. Love the look of your filling for the pasta shells.
Jenn S. says
Fall food is the best! Thanks, Kavita!
Ginny McMeans says
That looks absolutely delicious! I love to stuff jumbo shells and I am really looking forward to making this recipe. 17g of protein is great!
Jenn S. says
Yay! I hope you love them, Ginny!
Linda says
I love pasta shells, always looking for new ways of stuffing them 🙂 your ingredients combination looks great, thanks for sharing!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Linda!
Jagruti says
what a delicious way to enjoy seasons best produces..flavourful and tempting!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Jagruti. Enjoy!