Description
Cozy stuffed shells filled with creamy ricotta and topped with a rich pumpkin sauce, baked to golden perfection. A comforting twist on classic baked pasta, perfect for fall dinners and easy to make ahead.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 1 ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 large Egg
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Fresh Sage or Thyme (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, egg, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and vegetable broth. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and arrange in the dish over the sauce.
- Pour remaining pumpkin sauce over the shells and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Make the filling a day ahead for faster prep.
- Use a spoon or piping bag to fill shells easily.
- Add chili flakes for a spicier version.
- To freeze, assemble but do not bake. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: stuffed shells, pumpkin pasta, vegetarian baked pasta, fall dinner, comfort food