Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 8 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 14 ounce container tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 small lemon, seeded and juiced
- 1/4 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped thinly
- Butternut squash
Toppings
- 1 cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 12 fried sage leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the cubed squash on a baking pan evenly, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Transfer the squash to a high-powered blender, add milk, thyme, oregano, and crushed red pepper, then blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy, and taste to adjust seasoning if needed.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, crumble the tofu into small pieces, add milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spinach, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with the butternut squash sauce.
Fill each pasta shell with about 1-2 tablespoons of the tofu ricotta mixture and place them facing up in the baking dish.
Sprinkle the shells with vegan mozzarella cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Top with crushed red pepper and fried sage leaves.
