5 from 21 votes
Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce
This recipe combines jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses, garlic, spinach, and herbs, baked under a smooth butternut squash sauce. Roasted butternut squash and whole garlic cloves create a naturally sweet and savory vegetable sauce, pureed with vegetable stock for coating the stuffed shells. The dish balances tender pasta with a cheesy filling and a velvety, lightly seasoned sauce, ideal for a comforting vegetarian main course.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
572 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 pound butternut squash peeled and diced (approximately 3.5 cups)
- 6 ounces yellow onion cut into large chunks (1 medium)
- 3-4 cloves garlic whole
- 1 ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 1 ¾ cup vegetable stock
Filling:
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese whole milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup spinach roughly chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
- ¼ teaspoon basil dried
Additional Ingredients:
- 20 pasta shells plus a few extra to account for any breaking, jumbo
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 10-12 sage leaves
- mozzarella cheese to top, additional shredded
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the diced butternut squash, onion, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until squash is tender.
- Shells: meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo shells for half the recommended cook time. Drain and rinse, then set aside.
- Filling: As the shells cook, prepare the filling by mixing together all the filling ingredients. Taste test and adjust salt levels as needed. Set aside.
- Once vegetables have roasted, reduce oven heat to 375°F. Place the vegetables in a blender (or a large stockpot if immersion blending) along with the vegetable stock. Place the lid on top, cracking the top hole a bit to allow steam to escape. Puree ingredients together, blending until smooth. Add additional stock if needed. Taste and adjust for salt levels.
- Assembly: Butter an 8x8 or 9x9 ceramic baking dish if desired, then spread 2 cups of the sauce on the bottom. Take a shell and scoop or pipe approximately 2 tablespoons of filling inside of it, placing it on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Continue filling each shell until finished. Top the shells with the remaining 1 cup of sauce. Sprinkle additional cheese on top as desired.
- Baking: Bake for 26-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.
- Crispy Sage: While the pasta bakes, melt 1 TBSP butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves, and using a fork, turn occasionally as they crisp up in the butter for 2-4 minutes. Once they're crispy and deep green in color, remove with the fork and place on a paper towel until ready to serve. Garnish baked pasta with the sage.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Use vegetarian-labeled cheese if a fully vegetarian dish is desired.
- Adjust salt in the filling and sauce to taste before assembling.
- Puree the roasted vegetables with vegetable stock until smooth, thinning with additional stock as needed.
- Half-cook the jumbo pasta shells to ensure they hold their shape during baking.
Nutrition Information
Calories
572kcal
(29%)
Carbohydrates
54g
(18%)
Protein
28g
(56%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Cholesterol
78mg
(26%)
Sodium
1465mg
(61%)
Potassium
746mg
(16%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
13686IU
(274%)
Vitamin C
30mg
(33%)
Calcium
577mg
(58%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 572
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 572kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 78mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 1465mg | 61% |
| Potassium | 746mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 13686IU | 274% |
| Vitamin C | 30mg | 33% |
| Calcium | 577mg | 58% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.