Creamy Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Sauce
- 1 Tbsp oil (e.g., avocado)
- 8 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust for spice level)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk
Stuffed Shells
- 8 ounces jumbo pasta shells (or gluten-free noodles)
- 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 cups fresh spinach, thinly chopped
Toppings
- 1 cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese (gluten-free)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 12 fried sage leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Spread the cubed squash evenly on a baking pan. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fork-tender.
Transfer the roasted squash to a high-powered blender. Add milk, thyme, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, crumble tofu into small pieces using your hands or a spoon. Add milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spinach, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with the butternut squash sauce.
Fill each pasta shell with the tofu ricotta mixture (about 1-2 tablespoons each). Arrange the stuffed shells facing up in the baking dish.
Sprinkle vegan mozzarella cheese over the shells. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Top with crushed red pepper and fried sage leaves.
Serve and enjoy your creamy butternut squash stuffed shells!
