Dairy Free Stuffed Shells
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Dairy free
 
This is really a clean out the fridge sort of dish.  Stuffed shells are something I used to make often in the days of actual dairy because I have a deep and abiding love of ricotta cheese and shells are easier to make than manicotti.  But this is my first effort at dairy free stuffed shells.  I had some zucchini that needed using.  A partial bottle of tomato basil marinara.  A bit of Tofutti cream cheese substitute.  An assortment of other bits and bobs that were approaching their use by date.  And a general hankering for something less...thrown together than what I've been eating for lunch the last few weeks.  Since I finally replenished my supply of Daiya, this was a no brainer.
Ingredients
  • 1 box jumbo shells (GF if you can find them)
  • ½ jar (about 1¼ cup) tomato basil pasta sauce
  • ¼ cup Tofutti cream cheese substitute (or actual cream cheese if you can eat it)
  • 3 medium zucchini, diced
  • 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • ½ cup roasted red peppers, diced
  • ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 15 oz. can organic petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • Daiya or other mozzarella cheese substitute
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  3. In a saucepan, pour the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and about ½ cup of water.  Stir and bring to a simmer.
  4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.
  5. Add the zucchini and mushrooms.  Cook for approximately five minutes or until the zucchini begins to caramelize.
  6. Add the garlic, red peppers, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
  7. Cook another couple of minutes.
  8. Add about 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture and stir.
  9. Add the faux cream cheese and stir until well combined.  Set aside to cool.
  10. Cook your shells according to package directions, less about 5 minutes.  I go ahead and cook the whole box because invariably a lot of them will tear.  I'm usually left with just enough to fit in my 9x13 casserole dish.
  11. Drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain again and allow to cool until you can touch them.
  12. Pour half the remaining sauce mixture into a 9x13 glass dish and spread until the bottom is covered.
  13. Stuff the shells with the veggie filling and line the casserole dish.
  14. Top with remaining tomato sauce and a layer of mozzarella style Daiya or your mozzarella of choice.
  15. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
Recipe by Kait Nolan at https://kaitnolan.com/2015/03/09/dairy-free-stuffed-shells/