Lunch\ Dinner

Easy Baked Pasta Recipe, Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

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Looking for a meal prep recipe that is healthy. A weeknight-friendly baked pasta recipe! Did I mention that it is vegan, nut-free and gluten-free too 😉 A perfect family-friendly dinner recipe with leftovers for lunch! Made with gluten-free pasta shells stuffed with vegan ricotta recipe. A quick and easy pasta recipe made with just a few ingredients. So you can enjoy the evening with your family!


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Birds eye view of a dish of tofu ricotta baked pasta shells. A vegan and gluten free recipe being served.

Gluten-free pasta

As a gluten-free household stuffed pasta was something I never expected to eat again. Back when we went gluten-free there was just not much in the way of gluten-free products. At least not ones with simple or few ingredients that were not full of junk. Or let’s be real, that didn’t taste like cardboard.

Over the years I have seen so many new brands pop up and start making gluten-free pasta. Which has been amazing to witness. Back at the start we mostly had to stick to lentil pasta and such, which was yummy but not at all the same as regular pasta.

After cooking up many different types of gluten-free pasta, our favourites so far are ones made with white rice or corn, or a blend of both. They tend to be the most similar in texture and cook time to gluten pasta. And they do a good job of holding a sauce and staying firm for baked pasta recipes.

Birds eye view of a table with vegan ricotta stuffed pasta shells. Made for a healthy meal prep recipe.

Key steps to cooking gluten-free pasta

The key step seems to be to not overcook them and to rinse the pasta after you drain it. If you are new to gluten-free past then I suggest starting there. And you can find many different types of pasta nowadays. Penne, fusilli, linguini, spaghetti, lasagna noodles and my new favourite pasta shells!

Quick and easy pasta with a few simple ingredients

This recipe for stuffed pasta shells is the perfect weeknight meal. It can easily be included in your meal prep recipes and is healthy! It is a quick and easy pasta recipe with just a few ingredients. It comes together quickly and easily> This vegan ricotta recipe is creamy and delicious. The best part is that it is very satisfying so there are always leftovers for an easy lunch for the next day. Feel free to use a jarred tomato sauce or you can make your own if you have the time (You can find a recipe for one here).

Ingredient shot for a baked pasta recipe. A simple and easy tofu ricotta stuffed pasta shells

How to make vegan ricotta

I have a post just on this recipe alone! Not because it is hard to make ( I mean it only has a few ingredients), but because it is a killer delicious recipe. You can use to make lasagna, top onto pizza, add to sandwiches or flatbreads. You can find the full recipe here, but here is what you need:

Here is what you will need:

  • Extra-firm tofu
  • Garlic
  • Lemon
  • Dill
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Oil
  • Salt

That’s it folk, just those few items. Place it all into a food processor and voila, you got yourself some homemade tofu ricotta! Perfect for stuffing or eat it with some crackers. It is delicious non the less.

How to stuff shells and cook baked pasta recipes

The recipe for this vegan stuffed pasta shell is actually super easy. after you make the tofu ricotta recipe you will need to pre-boil the pasta shells. To a large pot of boiling water add in the pasta shells and cook juts for a few minutes (about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of you shells). You want the shells to be slightly soft and pliable but not totally cooked. If you overcook it then it may break apart or become to mushy in the oven.

After you boil the shells you will want to line the bottom of an oven safe pan with your tomato sauce. Then add the shells in to cover the pan. Take a dollop of the ricotta and add it to each shell. Then cover with more tomato sauce.

Bake until the shells are soft and nice and golden! This recipe is also a perfect one to add to your meal prep recipes, it’s healthy and super delicious and keeps well int he fridge!

How to store

To store these ricotta stuffed pasta shells just cover with foil or place into a sealed container and put into the fridge. This will keep for 3 days. Do not freeze or the texture of the ricotta with become grainy. we enjoyed this recipe 2 days after making it and the texture was still great and the pasta did not become too soggy. However it is best served fresh, like most recipes 😉

angled shot of a baked pasta recipe made with a few ingredients. an easy recipe for stuffed pasta shells

Anyhoo thank you for reading and I hope this baked pasta recipe and vegan ricotta recipe. A quick and easy pasta recipe with just a few ingredients! If you are looking for more easy simple vegan and gluten-free family recipes be sure to check out these:

Easy Baked Pasta Recipe, Stuffed Shells With Tofu Ricotta

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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Vegan, vegetarian
Keyword: Baked pasta recipe, meal prep recipe, tofu ricotta recipe, vegan gluten free recipe, weeknight recipe
Servings: 25 shells
Calories: 98kcal

Ingredients

  • 5 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 package pasta shells gluten free
  • 1 extra firm tofu
  • 1 bunch dill
  • ½ cup oat milk or soy
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions

  • Make your tofu ricotta, the recipe can be found here
  • Then preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then boil a large pot of water. Once boiling add in the pasta shells. Boil for roughly 3-5 minutes or until the shells are pliable and slightly soft. Drain and rinse with cold water.
    * do not overcook the shells or the pasta will turn out a bit mushy.
  • To a oven safe pan add 1 cup of the tomato sauce to the bottom. then add the pasta shells open side up to the bottom. Fill each shell with the tofu ricotta (about 2 tbsps)
  • Add the remaining tomato sauce (2 cups) over top of the pasta shells. Then place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the shells are fully cooked and the tops are golden.

Notes

You can pre-make this recipe a day or so in advance if you like. Just follow all the directions except baking the assembled pasta dish. You can save to bake on the day you would like to serve. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1shell | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
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2 Comments

  1. Incredible points. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the amazing effort. Penny Reggis Laurentia

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