Lasagna Stuffed Shells in Creamy Spinach Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 servings (~20) jumbo pasta shells
- 1 package plant-based Italian style meat alternative (e.g., Beyond Meat vegan Italian sausage)
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 14 oz can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano and basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups extra creamy oat milk
- 1 cup pasta water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
Optional
- Vegan parmesan
- Fresh basil
Preparation
Prepare pasta shells according to package directions and save 2 cups of pasta water; let the shells cool on a sheet pan.
Finely dice onion, carrot, and celery and mince garlic. Sauté the vegetables with olive oil until fragrant and lightly browned, for about 10 minutes, and set aside.
Crumble the plant-based meat alternative with a spatula and sauté until lightly browned.
Add the sautéed vegetables back to the pan, along with tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, and stir for a minute.
Add the tomatoes, pasta water, and herbs, then let everything simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The filling should not be too liquid.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
For the creamy sauce, heat up the vegan butter, then whisk in the flour and stir for a minute.
Add the oat milk, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt, and bring to a boil while stirring continuously. Let simmer for a few minutes.
Add the spinach and cream cheese to the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more water or oat milk.
Pour the sauce into a baking dish, fill the shells carefully with the lasagna filling, and place them into the sauce. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Optional: Top with vegan parmesan and broil for 5 minutes. Enjoy!
