Vegan Stuffed Shells

This Vegan Stuffed Shells recipe is a protein-rich comfort food your family will crave! It’s made simple with tofu and flavorful aromatics and herbs. This easy stuffed shells recipe delivers big smiles and full bellies when served up for meals. It’s definitely a vegan baked pasta dish the whole family will love.

Ingredients for Vegan Stuffed Shells

This easy recipe for dairy-free stuffed shells relies on simple ingredients that are easy to pick up during a quick trip to the grocery store.

• Jumbo pasta shells: Any brand or variety will do, since they cook according to the package instructions. 
• Tofu: Firm or extra-firm works best for the vegan ricotta. You will need to press it before cooking with it. Here’s a great guide to pressing tofu, if you need some extra guidance.
• Aromatics: Chopped onion and fresh garlic cloves are the first layer of flavor when making homemade vegan stuffed shells.
• Basil leaves: Making vegetable stuffed shells with fresh basil is highly recommended. Be sure to have a few extra leaves to use for garnish.
• Dried herbs and spices: Dried oregano, salt, and black pepper are essential. Also red chili pepper flakes add a nice spice to the dish, but you can leave it out for a less spicy version.
• Nutritional Yeast: For ‘cheesy’ flavor.
• Lemon: Use the juice of a medium-sized lemon freshly squeezed. This adds some brightness to the tofu ricotta filling.
• Fresh spinach leaves: For color and extra nutrition to the tofu ricotta.
• Marinara sauce: For the best flavor, use a homemade marinara or choose a store-bought pasta sauce that’s big on flavor.
• Vegan cheese shreds: Completely optional but a little on the top makes it feel more like the traditional version.

TOP TIP: Save yourself time by making a big batch of homemade marinara recipe (like the one in The Friendly Vegan Cookbook!). Prepping a big batch of homemade marinara for the week can make your weekly meals come together a lot quicker and with more flavor!

How to Make Stuffed Shells Vegan

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions!

It’s super easy to make these tofu stuffed shells!

• Step 1: Start by boiling a large pot of water and cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the prebake cooking directions on the package. Then drain, rinse with cold water to prevent sticking, and set aside.

Step 5: Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells. Next, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the vegan cheese (if using it) is melted and the edges of the shells are lightly browned. Finally, garnish with the basil leaves. Serve immediately and enjoy hot.

Toni’s Recipe Tips

This vegan stuffed shells recipe doesn’t have many difficult tips and tricks because of its simplicity, but there are a few things to keep in mind. 

• Families and large groups. These stuffed spinach shells are a perfect recipe to make for a family dinner and are easy to make to feed a larger group.
• Don’t overcook the pasta. As a matter of fact, it’s a good idea to even undercook them a bit. 
• Rinse the pasta. After cooking in order to avoid the shells sticking together.
• Use a piping bag. Makes adding the tofu filling to the shells easier.
• Choose a good marinara. The tomato sauce is the life of this dish and that is why it is important to make sure it is packed with flavor.

FAQs for Vegan Stuffed Shells

Variations on Stuffed Shells

• Vegetable Stuffed Shells: If you want to make this vegan stuffed shells recipe with more veggies, it’s easy to do. I suggest adding sauteed vegetables such as mushrooms, eggplant, or squash to the marinara sauce. Just be sure to cook them enough that the liquid cooks out.
• Layered Shells: If you’re feeling a bit lazy, consider making this with small or medium shells. Then layer them in a baking dish with the tofu mixture on top and finished off with the sauce and vegan cheese.

Storage Instructions

• Leftovers: Allow the baked pasta to fully cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. 
• Freezer: To freeze, prepare the shells, cover them well or store them in an airtight container and place them in the freezer for up to three months.
• Reheat: Reheat vegan stuffed pasta shells in the microwave or transfer to an oven-safe container and cook covered with foil for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
• Meal Prep Ahead: Vegan stuffed shells work perfectly for meal prep ahead. There are three easy ways to meal prep.
  1. Cook the ingredients separately and store them to assemble just before cooking and serving.
  2. Make the entire tray of stuffed shells in advance so it’s ready to simply throw in the oven and cook when ready to serve.
  3. Fully prepare the entire meal and simply reheat.

Serving Suggestions for Vegan Stuffed Shells

These vegetarian stuffed shells are a very filling recipe by themselves. I recommend making a nice green salad or some yummy bread to go along with this recipe. Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Bread: Try it with Vegan Focaccia Bread, Vegan Garlic Bread, Easy No-Knead Bread, or Rolls.
• Salad: Serve with a leafy green or light vegetable salad like Vegan Caesar Salad, a Vegan Caprese Salad, or Kale and Strawberry Salad.
• Veggies: Pairs well with a veggie on the side, like Sauteed Spinach, Roasted Asparagus, Crispy Eggplant, or Roasted Vegetables.

More Vegan Baked Pasta Dishes

Vegan Dinners

Vegan Lasagna Recipe

Vegan Dinners

Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Vegan Dinners

Easy Sweet Potato Lasagna | Plant-Based Dinner Recipe

Vegan Dinners

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells With Sage Cream

If you tried this vegan stuffed shells recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla