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)
- 1/2 jar (about 1 1/4 cup) tomato basil pasta sauce
- 1/4 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
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced
- 1/4 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
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- In a saucepan, pour the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and about 1/2 cup of water. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.
- Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for approximately five minutes or until the zucchini begins to caramelize.
- Add the garlic, red peppers, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Cook another couple of minutes.
- Add about 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture and stir.
- Add the faux cream cheese and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool.
- 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 9×13 casserole dish.
- Drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain again and allow to cool until you can touch them.
- Pour half the remaining sauce mixture into a 9×13 glass dish and spread until the bottom is covered.
- Stuff the shells with the veggie filling and line the casserole dish.
- Top with remaining tomato sauce and a layer of mozzarella style Daiya or your mozzarella of choice.
- Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
Dairy Free Stuffed Shells
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.
Author: Kait Nolan
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Dairy free
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
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- In a saucepan, pour the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and about ½ cup of water. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.
- Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for approximately five minutes or until the zucchini begins to caramelize.
- Add the garlic, red peppers, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Cook another couple of minutes.
- Add about 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture and stir.
- Add the faux cream cheese and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool.
- 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.
- Drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain again and allow to cool until you can touch them.
- Pour half the remaining sauce mixture into a 9x13 glass dish and spread until the bottom is covered.
- Stuff the shells with the veggie filling and line the casserole dish.
- Top with remaining tomato sauce and a layer of mozzarella style Daiya or your mozzarella of choice.
- Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
3 thoughts on “Dairy Free Stuffed Shells”
I love stuffed shells (and manicotti!), but I don’t want veggies in mine. You’re making me want to whip up a batch of homemade ricotta and homemade mozzarella and start stuffing shells!
Are you still okay after having that cheeseburger? How’s hubby after having the bun?
I’m still good. When I react, if I’m going to, it’s usually within an hour. He’s a bit puffy but not bad. Not that either of us need to make a habit of this, but knowing we can once in a while have normal people food is nice.
That’s like with me and sugar. I know I can have it rarely. (Hubby really did try to hide the Cadbury Egg he was eating last night.)