Ingredients
Dry
- 12 oz Jumbo pasta shells
- 0.25 cup Nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Dried basil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
Other
- 2 cup Fresh spinach (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Wet
- 14 oz Firm tofu (pressed and roughly crumbled)
- 0.5 cup Raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained)
- 2 Tbsp Lemon juice
- 0.25 cup Unsweetened plant milk (almond, soy, or oat)
- 24 oz Marinara sauce
Method
- 1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2. Cook the jumbo pasta shells in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse gently with cold water to prevent sticking.
- 3. In a food processor, combine the soaked cashews, lemon juice, plant milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth and creamy.
- 4. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles the texture of ricotta cheese. Do not over-blend.
- 5. Transfer the tofu ricotta to a mixing bowl and gently fold in the finely chopped fresh spinach.
- 6. Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- 7. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with a generous spoonful of the tofu ricotta mixture and place them open-side up in the baking dish.
- 8. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, ensuring they are well covered so they don't dry out.
- 9. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.
- 10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Chef's notes
For a cheesier topping, sprinkle vegan mozzarella shreds over the shells during the last 10 minutes of baking.