• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Oh My Veggies logo

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Main Dishes
    • Vegetarian Appetizers
    • Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
    • Vegetarian Side Dishes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
    • Holiday Recipes
    • From our Readers
  • Cooking Tips & Hints
    • Cooking Tips
    • Plant-Based Nutrition
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Find Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Find Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebies!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Vegan Stuffed Shells With Spinach Ricotta

    Published: Apr 25, 2021 · by Nicole · Updated: May 19, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Serve these vegan stuffed shells with a homemade spinach ‘ricotta’ made from tofu and a hearty tomato sauce for a wholesome, comforting dinner. They’re easy to make from scratch with simple ingredients, and freezer-friendly too. Great for weeknight meals and special occasions alike!

    Vegan stuffed shells with spinach ricotta

    It’s no secret that I love pasta, and at the moment I can’t stop making stuffed shells. They’re just so fun to make, and even more fun to eat! There’s just something so special about chewy jumbo shells with a delicious homemade filling. And I can guarantee that even non-vegans will love this recipe! It misses absolutely no flavor, despite being completely dairy-free.

    If you’re a pasta lover like myself, I recommend you run to the kitchen and make these ASAP. You won’t regret it at all, and will likely want to make them again straight after!

    Stuffed conchiglie in a baking dish with tomato sauce and fresh herbs

    Delicious vegan stuffed shells with ‘ricotta’

    When describing what’s to love about these amazing stuffed shells, I don’t even know where to start! The pasta variety used here is conchiglie, which is the best for stuffing as the shells are so large and don’t fall apart easily. 

    These vegan ricotta stuffed shells are pretty much the definition of comfort food and like my butternut squash risotto, look and taste fancy despite being very easy to make. That’s considering the fact that the ricotta and tomato sauce are made from scratch!

    Baking dish with conchiglie and tofu ricotta

    The star of the show here is the homemade tofu ricotta. You need just 5 simple ingredients to make this dairy-free ricotta from scratch. Then, you mix it with spinach in a pan, and it’s ready to be added to the vegan stuffed shells. Despite the simplicity, it’s so incredibly flavorful and goes super well with the pasta.

    We’re also making a homemade tomato sauce. I would 100% recommend making your own from scratch, because it requires very little extra time and effort, and simple ingredients. I’m sure you will love it as much as I did!

    Plate of vegan stuffed conchiglie with tofu ricotta

    How to make vegan stuffed shells from scratch

    Prepare the conchiglie

    Cook the conchiglie for around 2-3 minutes less than the packaging instructions. Drain and rinse when done.

    Meanwhile, lightly grease a rectangular baking dish with olive oil or vegan butter, and preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F.

    Make the tomato sauce

    Heat some olive oil in a frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Now add onion, garlic and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.

    • Tomato sauce in a frying pan
    • Homemade tomato sauce in a frying pan

    Next, add canned tomatoes, dried oregano and salt, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Make the tofu ricotta

    Add extra firm tofu, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, tahini and plant based milk to a blender or food processor and blend on a low speed for a few seconds. Make sure not to overblend, so that the tofu retains some texture. 

    • Ingredients for vegan stuffed shells and tofu ricotta
    • Ingredients for vegan ricotta in a blender

    Next, transfer the ‘ricotta’ to a frying pan over a medium heat and add the spinach. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the spinach wilts, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    • Vegan tofu ricotta in a blender
    • Vegan spinach ricotta in a frying pan

    Assemble and bake

    Add a layer of the tomato sauce to the baking dish. Next, add around 1-2 tbsp to the ricotta to each pasta shell and arrange them in an even layer above the tomato sauce. If you wish, you can add some more tomato sauce on top.

    • Tomato sauce in a baking dish
    • Baking dish with pasta shells, tomato sauce and tofu ricotta

    Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until crispy and golden. 

    Tips for success

    • Make sure not to overcook the pasta shells. It’s really important that they are al dente, because this will make sure that they don’t fall apart when you add the filling. They will also continue cooking in the oven.
    • Use extra firm tofu for the best crumbly texture. 
    • Either fresh or frozen spinach works well in the filling for these stuffed shells. 
    • If you want to, you can use store-bought vegan ricotta, and a store-bought tomato/marinara sauce.
    • You can add other vegetables of your choice to the tomato sauce. For instance, I love adding diced carrots and zucchini. 
    • In order to save time, you can make the tofu ricotta while the onion and garlic for the tomato sauce are cooking.
    • You can add either grated vegan cheese, or homemade vegan parmesan on top of the pasta shells either before baking, or when you’re ready to serve.
    Plate of dairy-free stuffed shells in a homemade tomato sauce

    Can you make vegan stuffed shells ahead of time?

    Yes, these are really easy to make ahead of time. Simply make the pasta shells as instructed up to the point of baking, arranging them in the baking dish. Then, cover and leave in the fridge for up to 8-10 hours. Then, proceed to bake as normal, but with an extra 5 minutes.

    Stuffed shells with dairy-free tofu ricotta in a baking dish

    Instructions for storage and freezing

    • You can keep these vegan stuffed shells in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, until warmed through. Or you can reheat in a baking dish in the oven for around 10 minutes. 
    • I would recommend freezing them before baking. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, allow to thaw fully in the fridge for around 8 hours, then bake at 180 degrees C/350 F for 30 minutes. 

    Other delicious vegan pasta recipes

    • For an amazing weeknight dinner, try roasted red pepper pasta.
    • A creamy vegan pasta salad makes a great side dish.
    • My avocado pasta is ready in about 10 minutes!
    • For a quick and flavorful dinner, try one pot chickpea pasta.
    • Butternut squash mac and cheese is easy to make and flavorful.
    Vegan stuffed shells with spinach ricotta

    If you give these vegan stuffed shells with spinach ricotta a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies) so I can see your remakes, and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating!

    Recipe

    Vegan Stuffed Shells With Spinach Ricotta

    These vegan stuffed shells with tofu spinach ricotta and a homemade tomato sauce are perfect for a comforting dinner! Make them using simple, wholesome ingredients for a meal you won't believe is entirely dairy-free.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: canned tomatoes, Conchiglie, earth of maria, homemade tofu ricotta, nutritional yeast, pasta, Spinach, Tahini, Tofu, tomatoes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 460kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Rectangular baking dish
    • Conventional oven
    • Frying pan
    • Blender or food processor

    Ingredients

    The pasta shells

    • 10 oz conchiglie (around 15 large shells)
    • 1 tbsp olive oil (or vegan butter) to grease the baking dish

    The tomato sauce

    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 large onion diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 can canned tomatoes (14 oz can)
    • 1 tbsp dried oregano
    • ½ tsp salt

    The tofu ricotta

    • 10 oz extra firm tofu
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tbsp tahini
    • ⅓ cup plant based milk
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Cook the conchiglie: Cook the pasta shells for around 2-3 minutes less than the packaging instructions. Drain and rinse when done.
    • Preheat the oven: Lightly grease a rectangular baking dish with olive oil or vegan butter, and preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F.
    • Make the tomato sauce: Heat some olive oil in a frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Now add onion, garlic and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Next, add canned tomatoes, dried oregano and salt, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Make the tofu ricotta: Add extra firm tofu, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, tahini and plant based milk to a blender or food processor and blend on a low speed for a few seconds.
    • Add spinach: Transfer the ‘ricotta’ to a frying pan over a medium heat together with the spinach. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the spinach wilts, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • Assemble the pasta shells: Add a layer of the tomato sauce to the baking dish. Next, add around 1-2 tbsp to the ricotta to each pasta shell and arrange them in an even layer above the tomato sauce. If you wish, you can add some more tomato sauce on top.
    • Bake the shells: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until crispy and golden. 

    Video

    Notes

    Recipe tips for best results
    • Make sure not to overcook the pasta shells. It’s really important that they are al dente, because this will make sure that they don’t fall apart when you add the filling. 
    • Use extra firm tofu for the best crumbly texture. 
    • Either fresh or frozen spinach works well.
    • If you want to, you can use store-bought vegan ricotta, and a store-bought tomato/marinara sauce.
    • You can add other vegetables of your choice to the tomato sauce.
    • In order to save time, you can make the tofu ricotta while the onion and garlic for the tomato sauce are cooking.
    • You can add either grated vegan cheese, or homemade vegan parmesan on top of the pasta shells either before baking, or when you’re ready to serve.
    Instructions for storage and freezing
    • You can keep these vegan stuffed shells in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, until warmed through. Or you can reheat in a baking dish in the oven for around 10 minutes. 
    • You can freeze the pasta shells before baking. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, allow to thaw fully in the fridge for around 8 hours, then bake at 180 degrees C/350 F for 30 minutes. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 19gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 569mgPotassium: 801mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 368IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 4mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    Pin this for later
    Vegan stuffed shells with spinach ricotta
    « Creamy Vegan Pasta Salad
    Vegan Moussaka With Lentils »

    Christmas Recipes, Earth of Maria, Holiday Recipes, Tofu and Tempeh Recipes, Vegan Dinner Recipes, Vegan Meal Prep, Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Weeknight Meals, Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Canned tomatoes, Conchiglie, nutritional yeast, pasta, Pasta shells, tahini, tofu, tomatoes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Something to say? Leave a comment. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    image of the author

    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

    signature of author

    get a free 5 day vegetarian meal plan

    shop our vegetarian and vegan cookbooks

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.

    veg kitchen
    step away from the carbs
    all she cooks
    midlife rambler
    wandertooth logo

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Hook & Porter Media

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.