Make-it-dairy-free Challenge Week 3: Baked Stuffed Shells

When my husband and I started dating (roughly 1 million years ago), one of the first things he made for me was stuffed shells.  Dairy free, vegan, and completely delicious.   So this recipe is actually his, but it is a beautiful example of making something with predominant cheesy characteristics dairy-free.

Baked Stuffed Shells

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oregano

16 ounces extra firm tofu

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (if desired)

1 or 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach

1 box jumbo shells

4 cups prepared marinara sauce or prepared tomato sauce

optional 1 cup Diaya mozzarella sprinkle on top

Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Crumble into the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender along with olive oil, salt, oregano, garlic and nutritional yeast. Process on high until smooth and “ricotta-like.  Add spinach and pulse until incorporated.

Cook shells in boiling salted water until el dente and drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour about ½ cup pasta sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Stuff shells with 2 T of filling and place in pan, seam side down. Repeat until all shells have been stuffed.

  

Pour remaining pasta sauce over shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!