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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Entrees

    Vegetable Stuffed Shells

    Published: May 17, 2023 · Modified: May 17, 2023 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Vegetable stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells filled with lentils and vegetables in a tangy marinara sauce. Then the jumbo shells are covered in marinara sauce and baked. Top with vegan parmesan cheese for an added bonus. You will love this vegetable stuffed shells recipe.

    Vegetable stuffed shells recipe served with vegan garlic bread, a tossed salad, and vegan parmesan in a shaker on the table.

    Last week, I cooked a batch of vegan stuffed shells for the boys when I went to a party. When I came home, the pan was empty, and they even did the dishes. Yes, they ate every last stuffed shell in the pan and didn't leave any for me. Since they loved the stuffed shells, I decided to make vegetable stuffed shells with lentils to see if they liked them as much. Sometimes, I can persuade my kids to eat veggies, especially if I creatively present them. Veggie stuffed shells were a big hit at my house!

    Jump to:
    • Meal Prepping
    • Stuffed Shells Ingredients
    • Stuffed Shells Ingredient Substitutions
    • Other Recipes for Lentil-Vegetable Filling
    • How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells
    • How to Fill the Pasta Shells
    • Recipe FAQS
    • Tips
    • More Vegan Pasta Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    For this veggie stuffed shells recipe, I used a combination of lentils and veggies in a rich homemade tomato sauce. Of course, I didn't tell the crew all the veggies I packed inside the shells. Instead, I made the jumbo stuffed shells, served them, and waited for their reaction.  And guess what? Again, the pan was empty! 

    Meal Prepping

    One of the best aspects of this recipe is I prepped everything beforehand. First, I chopped all the veggies while making my Hungarian Mushroom Soup for the week.

    Then, I took a shortcut by buying Trader Joe's steamed, prepared lentils and store-bought marinara sauce.

    Next, I sauteed the veggies, added the lentils, stuffed the shells, and baked the stuffed shells for 30 minutes.

    Stuffed Shells Ingredients

    • Yellow Onion: Yellow onions have a nice balance of astringency and sweetness in their flavor, becoming sweeter the longer they cook.
    • Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic cloves whenever possible.
    • Mushrooms: I used sliced cremini mushrooms.
    • Summer Squash: Summer squash is similar to zucchini but yellow and lighter in flavor.
    • Zucchini: Zucchini is in season and vibrant this time of year. It brings a freshness to the lentil vegetable filling.
    • Organic Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are canned tomatoes that are fire-roasted over an open flame to accentuate their flavor. They taste sweet and subtly smoky right out of the can instead of bitter and acidic like most standard canned tomatoes.
    • Tomato Paste: A little tomato paste gives the dish a deep richness.
    • Vegetable Broth: I buy organic vegetable broth in bulk at Costco.
    • Cooked Brown Lentils: I buy steamed brown lentils at Trader Joe's.
    • Oregano: Although sometimes difficult to find, I prefer fresh oregano.
    • Basil: I grow fresh basil in my kitchen, so I prefer the freshest herbs when cooking any Italian recipe.
    • Jumbo Pasta Shells: Jumbo Shells are large, graceful, concave shapes inspired by the shape of seashells.
    • Vegan Marinara Sauce: Vegan Marinara Sauce is a delicious homemade sauce I use for Italian recipes. I make large quantities ahead of time and freeze it to use all year round.

    Stuffed Shells Ingredient Substitutions

    • White onion is often used to replace yellow onion in recipes. It is similar in flavor.
    • Minced garlic: Use ½ teaspoon of jarred minced garlic in place of each clove.
    • Garlic flakes: Also called dehydrated (or dried) minced garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic flakes in place of each clove.
    • Granulated garlic: Use ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic in place of each clove.
    • Choose portobello or shiitake mushrooms instead of cremini.
    • Instead of using summer squash, use double zucchini or vice versa.
    • In a pinch use ketchup if you don't have tomato paste.
    • Use Yondu with water instead of vegetable broth.
    • Cook brown lentils or used drained, canned brown lentils.
    • When cooking with herbs, keep a general rule of thumb regarding the ratio of fresh to dry: Because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less if they're dry. That means the correct ratio is 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
    • If you can't find jumbo shells, use the lentil filling for lasagna, stuffed tomatoes, or stuffed bell peppers.
    • Jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce woks as well as homemade sauce.

    Other Recipes for Lentil-Vegetable Filling

    Lentil vegetable filing cooking in a pan on the stove.

    For example, the lentil and veggie filling can be used for a variety of other recipes. Since I had a leftover filling, I baked a few potatoes and filled each potato for lunches the next day.

    Another idea is to use the lentil and veggie filling for layers in a vegan lasagna. Furthermore, the filling freezes well for other recipes. 

    How to Make Vegan Stuffed Shells

    Jumbo pasta shells drying on a paper towel.

    To bake the jumbo shells for veggie stuffed shells, first cook the noodles for 9 minutes. Then, rinse the noodles in cold water, separate them, and dry them before filling.

    The noodles, however, may feel firm and a little undercooked. But don't worry; the noodles finish cooking in the oven, so don't worry about undercooked pasta. 

    Now, make sure the sauteed vegetables and lentils are cool because filling the noodles requires touching both the noodles and the filling to maximize the number of vegetables and lentils in each shell.

    Instead of oil, pour some pasta sauce into the bottom of my 9x13 inch glass pan to prevent sticking. 

    How to Fill the Pasta Shells

    Lentil filling stuffed inside jumbo pasta shells in a pyrex pan on the counter.

    This is a fun activity for the kids to help cook. So, get everyone involved, and let the stuffing begin. If you want to add vegan cheese, feel free to do so.

    I chose to skip the cheese, though, since I served the meal with vegan parmesan cheese. 

    Let's say the rest is a piece of cake. Cover the veggie stuffed shells with the remaining pasta sauce, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.

    Vegan marinara sauce is poured over the top of the vegetable stuffed shells in a Pyrex pan on the counter.

    I made veggie stuffed shells, vegan garlic bread, and a simple salad with vegan ranch dressing. I served vegan parmesan cheese, as well. 

    Let's say the boys didn't know the difference between the vegan stuffed shells recipe and the vegetable stuffed shells recipe. Did I trick them? My mom hid veggies in my food when I was little, so I guess it's okay. 

    Recipe FAQS

    Where are stuffed shells originally from?

    The recipe for stuffed pasta shells comes from the Sicilian culinary tradition.

    How many shells are in a box of pasta shells?

    A box of jumbo shells contains approximately 46 shells

    How long will stuffed shells last in the refrigerator?

    Leftover shells should be covered air-tight and refrigerated. Cooked stuffed shells will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

    Tips

    • If you cook the shells too long, they'll tear when you try to stuff them, and the pasta will end up mushy since it continues to cook as the stuffed shells bake. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shells from boiling water and transfer them to a bowl of cool water to stop the cooking.
    • This recipe can either be baked right away and served stuck right into the freezer uncooked or pre-bake the dish and then freeze it.
    • To reheat non-casserole baked pasta dishes, such as stuffed jumbo shells, place the shells in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 degrees until the shells' internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
    • You don't need to defrost the stuffed shells before baking. Remove any plastic wrap on the stuffed shells and replace the aluminum foil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the pasta bake is bubbling.

    This vegetable stuffed shells recipe is easy to make and serves a crown from one delicious pan.

    More Vegan Pasta Recipes

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      Spicy Peanut Noodles
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      Creamy Mushroom Pasta
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    • Spaghetti Salad
      Cold Spaghetti Salad Recipe

    If you love this vegetable stuffed shells recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you.

    📖 Recipe

    veggie stuffed shells

    Veggie Stuffed Shells

    Kathy Carmichael
    Vegetable stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells filled with lentils and vegetables in a tangy marinara sauce. Then the jumbo shells are covered in marinara sauce and baked. Top with vegan parmesan cheese for additional flavor.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 318 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 yellow onion diced small (yield 1 cup)
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 8 ounces mushrooms I used white button mushrooms
    • ½ cup yellow summer squash diced small
    • ½ cup green zucchini diced small
    • 15 ounces organic diced fire-roasted tomatoes
    • 8 ounces organic tomato paste
    • 1 cup organic vegetable broth
    • 2 ½ cups cooked brown lentils I used Trader Joes 17.6 ounce package of steamed, cooked lentils
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil
    • 1 12 ounce package jumbo pasta shells
    • 25 ounces Delallo Fat-free Marinara
    • Optional: Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    Instructions
     

    Preparing the Pasta

    • Bring a pot of water to boil with 1 teaspoon salt.
    • Add pasta shells and cook for 9 minutes.
    • Drain and run shells under cold water to stop the cooking process
    • Lay shells opening down on paper towels to dry.

    Lentil/Vegetable Filling

    • In a non-stick skillet, saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent.
    • Add a little vegetable broth to prevent sticking.
    • Add mushrooms and cool for a few minutes.
    • Then, add yellow and green zucchini.
    • Cook on medium-low for 5 minutes.
    • Now add basil and oregano, tomato paste, and roasted tomatoes.
    • Add lentils and the remaining vegetable broth.
    • Cook until the tomato paste has broken down and the mixture is thick.
    • Remove from heat.

    Preparing the Veggie Stuffed Shells

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Using a 9x13 inch pan (I used a Pyrex glass pan), pour ¼ of the jarred sauce in the pan's bottom and spread a thin layer across the bottom.
    • Now, using a spoon and your thumb, pack each jumbo shell full of the lentil/veggie filling, making sure to put as much filling as possible in each shell.
    • Lay each shell, touching the other ones, opening up with the lentil mixture facing up.
    • Cover the filled shells with the remaining sauce, ensuring they are all covered.
    • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    • Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes, covered before eating.
    • Serve with Vegan Parmesan Cheese

    Notes

      • If you cook the shells too long, they'll tear when you try to stuff them, and the pasta will end up mushy since it continues to cook as the stuffed shells bake. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shells from boiling water and transfer them to a bowl of cool water to stop the cooking.
      • This recipe can either be baked right away and served stuck right into the freezer uncooked or pre-bake the dish and then freeze it.
      • To reheat non-casserole baked pasta dishes, such as stuffed jumbo shells, place the shells in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 degrees until the shells' internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
      • You don't need to defrost the stuffed shells before baking. Remove any plastic wrap on the stuffed shells and replace the aluminum foil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the pasta bake is bubbling.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 16gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 351mgPotassium: 1044mgFiber: 10gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1151IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 5mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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      5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Grace

      March 05, 2022 at 8:02 pm

      I made this recipe today, with only a small alteration. I couldn't find ANY shells so I opted to simply use penne noodles and make a "goulash" The flavors were amazing and I will definitely make this again. Hopefully I can find some jumbo shells next time

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        March 06, 2022 at 5:45 am

        Hi Grace, what a great idea to use penne noodles. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your feedback.

        Reply
    2. Pam

      December 22, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      Kathy - For the stuffing is it a total of 5 cups lentils or is the just a duplicate of the precooked listed a bit further down in the recipe. These sound great and would love to make them this week!

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        December 22, 2019 at 7:26 pm

        Hi Pam, It's 2 1/2 cups if you make your own lentils, or you use pre-cooked. I will make it more clear in the recipe. Thanks for letting me know. Let me know if you like them 🙂

        Reply

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