Feb 15, 2014

back to basics - stuffed shells

Stuffed shells are scrumptious. A creamy filling inside tender pasta swimming in a sea of tomato sauce and baked with plenty of vegan cheese. My family loves stuffed shells but the process can seem overwhelming. I believe that is mainly because stuffing of the shells can be overwhelming - it can be messy and time consuming.

Here is the easiest way to make them, by following the directions below. Use your favorite tomato sauce recipe (or brand), your favorite tofu or nut ricotta recipe and mix a blend of vegan cheese for optimal melting ability. 

Mangia! Mangia!





The Process:


Step 1. Spread your tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan. Arrange the COOKED shells on the tomato sauce.


Step 2. Place the filling inside a zip top bag, twist the bag and snip one corner, about 1-inch across. The opening should be large enough to squeeze out enough filling to fill the shells.


Step 3. Fill the shells using your homemade piping bag.  



Step 4. Sprinkle with the vegan cheese blend, cover the pan with foil to melt the cheese. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes, uncover and bake for 5 more minutes. 


The Result: Easy Baked Stuffed Shells

9 comments:

  1. Those look amazing.I have never made stuffed pasta shells before and this seems a tasty idea.Thank you!

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    1. It is time to make them! So glad you like the idea :) Thank you!

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  2. What a handy tip, Zsu! I never would have thought of that! My husband loves stuffed shells, but I've only made them a couple of times in the five and a half years we've been married because they're so labor-intensive. But now I have no excuse! (And I actually have a pastry bag I haven't had a chance to use yet, so even better.)

    Thanks for the tip! :)

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    1. Thanks, Nichole! 5 1/2 years? You love birds!

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  3. Wow! These look amazing. And what a great way of getting them filled without having sauce go everywhere :-) Very clever

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    1. Thanks, Sandy! I feel the same way about the mess!

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  4. Looks delicious! Wonder if I could make a bean-based filling instead, and use brown rice shells since I'm gluten free? Would love to try this--yum!

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    1. I don't see why it wouldn't work! The above shells are brown rice - just cook them tender since I have found that GF pasta tends not to cook well in the oven. Thanks for the visit, Lee!

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  5. Oh WOW! And I mean WOW! This is off the charts! Awesome!

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Thanks for your comment! I'll check if it's spam and post if it is not. I appreciate your time and effort for commenting! ~ Zsu