Lasagna Stuffed Shells with Creamy Spinach Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 servings (~20) jumbo pasta shells
- 1 package plant-based Italian style meat alternative
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 14 oz can fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 tsp dried oregano and basil
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups extra creamy oat milk
- 1 cup pasta water
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 2 tbsp vegan cream cheese
Optional
- Vegan parmesan
- Fresh basil
Preparation
Prepare pasta shells according to package directions, reserving 2 cups of pasta water, and 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.
Crumble the plant-based meat alternative with a spatula and sauté until lightly browned.
Add the 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, so it can easily fill the shells.
Preheat the oven to 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 the sauce simmer for a few minutes, then add the spinach and cream cheese. 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.
Tips
Optionally top with vegan parmesan.
