Vegetable Stuffed Shells

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 find persuading my kids to eat veggies, especially if I creatively present them. Veggie stuffed shells were a big hit at my house!

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

Sauteed vegetable stuffed shells

One of the best aspects of this recipe is I prepped everything beforehand. First, I chopped all the veggies when I was 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.

Then I saute the veggies, added the lentils, stuffed the shells, and baked the stuffed shells for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Shells Ingredients

• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Mushrooms
• Yellow zucchini
• Green zucchini
• Organic diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Vegetable broth
• Cooked brown lentils
• Oregano
• Basil
• Jumbo pasta shells
• Delallo Fat-free Marinara or Vegan Marinara Sauce of choice

Jumbo stuffed shells...other ideas for leftover filling

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. 

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. 

Easy stuffed shells; use a spoon and your thumb to fill the jumbo shells

Actually, 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.

I made veggie stuffed shells, vegan garlic bread, and a simple salad with  Cashew Ranch Dressing to feed my hungry bunch. 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? Kind of, but my mom used to hide veggie in my food when I was little, so I guess it's okay. 

📖 Recipe

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 bake. Top with vegan parmesan cheese for an added bonus.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Entrees

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 yellow onion diced small (yield 1 cup)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 8 ounces mushrooms I used white button mushrooms
• ▢ ½ cup yellow zucchini slush 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.

PREPARING THE LENTIL/VEGETABLE FILLING

• In a non-stick pan, cook onions and garlic until 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 tomato paste has broken down and the mixture is thick.
• Remove from heat

PREPARING THE SHELLS FOR BAKING

• 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, making sure 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 have extra filling it can be frozen.

The filling can also be made in advance, and you can stuff the shells when preparing the meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 16gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 851mgPotassium: 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/