Protein packed Italian food filled with hidden veggies? Yes please! These vegan stuffed shells with cauliflower ricotta won't let you down.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
So where do you get your protein? I'm sure many of you plant-based friends have heard that a time or two...Or ten. I'm here to give you yet another great answer to that question. Stuffed shells. Really? Yep.
I've stuffed these babies with a low fat (you read that right) version of typical cashew based ricotta. I replaced half of the nuts with cauliflower to make this creamy delicious cauliflower ricotta that will blow your mind. And taste buds too! Get ready to rumble people.
Hiding protein everywhere!
When my next job assignment with the Silk brand was to showcase their NEW Protein Nutmilk, I took it and ran. It's easy to throw that amazing protein boost in a smoothie, pudding, or other sweet treat. But the real question is, can you really use it for other stuff?
I'm proving right here, right now, the answer to that is a big fat yes. My hubby questioned my creativity on this one, but you heard crickets as he shoveled these babies into his mouth.
Ingredients are everything
The key to getting that perfect taste using this new protein milk is the right combination of ingredients. The milk comes in two varieties, low sugar and vanilla (that has more sweetness in it). Make sure for savory uses you grab the low sugar. Don't ask me how I learned this lesson the hard way. **hides trash full of failed recipe trial**
Both of them are soy free, use a combo of almond and cashew milk and the protein is from 100% peas. There are 10 grams of plant based protein in every cup! This is a pretty thick milk, so perfect in my opinion to put in recipes for added creaminess.
Reasons to snuggle this cauliflower ricotta:
- Lower in fat than traditional cashew ricotta.
- Added protein.
- Stuff it in anything from shells to simply your mouth.
- Simple blend and ready recipe.
- Added greens, so basically it has everything.
Other high protein recipes you will love:
- Fast High Protein Mexican Fiesta Pasta Salad
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie
- Baked Protein Packed Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
Vegan Stuffed Shells With Cauliflower Ricotta
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo shells
- 1 cup raw cauliflower (cut into small enough pieces to fill the cup)
- ½ cup raw cashews (see note)
- ½ cup raw almonds (see note)
- ½ cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk (or use low sugar Silk Protein Nutmilk for a higher protein meal)
- ½ cup veggie broth , low sodium if needed
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup fresh spinach
Roasted Tomato Sauce:
- 8 cloves garlic , chopped
- 19 tablespoons veggie broth , low sodium if needed (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons, see note)
- 56 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes (two 28 ounce cans)
- 1 cup fresh basil , chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (not needed if tomatoes have salt)
Almond Cashew Parmesan:
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (add up to ¼ teaspoon more if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)
- Cook shells to al dente texture, according to package directions. I cooked mine for about 6 minutes.
Make the roasted tomato sauce:
- Add the chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of veggie broth (or you can use a drizzle of oil) and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow to simmer while preparing the rest of the meal.
Make almond cashew Parmesan:
- Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until you get a crumbled Parmesan like texture.
make ricotta filling
- Blend cauliflower, cashews, almonds, nutmilk, broth, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Keep blending until you get a ricotta like texture.
- Add in spinach and pulse to incorporate.
Assemble shells:
- When the shells are done, rinse with cold water so they aren’t too hot to handle.
- Put 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.
- Stuff each shell with 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons of filling and place side by side in the baking dish.
- Drizzle the rest of the tomato sauce on top, then sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Allow to set about 5-10 minutes after baking. Serve while still nice and warm!
Notes
- Recipe makes 20 shells, servings size is 4 shells.
- Because you are not looking for a perfectly smooth texture, and because you are baking this dish, you do not need to soak your nuts. I did not. However if you want a smoother ricotta you can.
- You can also use a drizzle of oil instead of the 2 tablespoons of veggie broth to sauté the garlic.
- If you want to use the ricotta as a topping for something, use less liquid to make it thicker and more stable. Start with only a few tablespoons of each liquid and add more to get the texture you like.
- Make ricotta, tomato sauce and parmesan.
- Serve ricotta filling with very cooked mushed pasta shells, make sure ricotta is pureed well. Simply cut into small pieces for older baby.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
Jenn
I love stuffed shells!! Your cauliflower ricotta filling sounds delicious! I could eat at least half that pan myself! 🙂
veggiesdontbite
So pretty much you and I would share a pan. Perfect.
Mandy
Hehe! I'd totally snuggle that cauliflower ricotta 😉 I LOVE stuffed shells and it's honestly been years and years since I've had them. Yours are jammed packed with protein between the stuffing and parm - love it! Perfect comfort food. We've been on such a cauliflower kick these days so when I saw the email for this recipe come through, it definitely caught my eye! YUM!!
veggiesdontbite
Snuggle it up friend! I hope you like it and you can always sub all cauliflower too. I just liked the taste better with some nuts.
Dina
They are truly delicious!!!!
veggiesdontbite
Glad you liked them!
Jasmine
This looks perfect!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you!
Ginny McMeans
Love I'm always ready for a new main course. Can't beat stuffed pasta!
veggiesdontbite
Nope! We love it!
Amanda
Those look amazing, who knew you could sub cauliflower for ricotta!?
veggiesdontbite
Thank you! I did a half and half cauli and nuts, works awesome!!
Ann
On the cup of cauliflower, were they smaller florets cut up 1st to put in a cup? Just curious, a couple big pieces could fill a cup. Love every recipe that I have ever made of yours btw. Thanks for creating such yumminess!
veggiesdontbite
Hi Ann! Yes! I will add that to the notes. You want to fill the cup with cauliflower pieces so break them up however you need to in order to fill the cup. Thank you so much for the kind words!!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Oh. My. GOODNESS! This looks absolutely incredible, and the vegan ricotta would be perfect for my lactose intolerant (and Italian!) husband!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you!! He'd love it. My Italian husband shoveled them in!
Elizabeth
I'm drooling already! Looks sooooooooo good - totally my kind of food. Didn't think that you could use cauliflower this way!
veggiesdontbite
I kinda feel you can use cauliflower in any way! LOL!
Roxana
This is such a neat idea using the amazing cauliflower. I like that you used nuts to bring out the creaminess that would be in ricotta. Creative!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks so much! It's a perfect combo!
Sarah
What a delicious and healthy dish that the entire family would love!! Can't wait to try this out!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Sarah! Yes! The entire family ate it. However the middle one did unstuff then eat the parts separately (*insert eye roll*)
Kelly @ trial and eater
This looks amazing! Cauliflower is so versatile, I definitely need to try it in stuffed shells. Pinning for later!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you! I love the half and half because plain cauliflower wasn't enough flavor for me. Best of both worlds!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Kelly! Isn't it the best?!
Dianne
Cauliflower ricotta is pure genius! I'm definitely adding this to my "to make" list!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Dianne! Plain cauliflower didn't have enough flavor or fat for me, but the half and half was perfect!
Susan
Thanks for posting another yummy recipe to try. Before I get started, I have a question about step 5 for the ricotta.
"5. Next, make ricotta filling by blending all ingredients except spinach (from cashews to veggie broth) in a food processor. Blend until you get a ricotta like texture. Add in spinach and pulse to incorporate."
When do you add the cauliflower? It is not included in the (from cashews to veggie broth) list. Also, do you steam or roast the cauliflower first?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Susan! I changed the directions to make it more clear. I had moved around the order of ingredients and forgot to change it in the directions but now I just listed them all to make it easier. And no, the cauliflower is as is raw! It is baked when the dish is baked. Let me know if you try it and how it is!
Caroline
So you don't soak the cashews and almonds for this recipe?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Caroline! I added a line in the notes on that in case others have the same question, but no. I find soaking is not needed for ricotta. I did not soak them and it turned out great. Because you aren't looking for a smooth sauce, and because you are baking the dish, the nuts do fine as is. But you most definitely can if you want!