Corn & caramelized onion stuffed shells made with a cheesy tofu filling and topped with marinara sauce, fresh basil and crushed pistachios.
Corn & Caramelized Onion Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are such a hearty meal to make for your family or a crowd. While they do take a bit of prep, they’re packed with flavor and feel-good ingredients and are always a family favorite.
I used a tofu base for the filling to add a boost of protein to this recipe. The tofu gets mashed or blended and mixed with roasted corn, sauteed onions, shredded cheese and a few spices that then get stuffed into pasta shells and baked with marinara sauce and pesto.
Rather than keeping this dish fully plant-based or fully cheese focused, I combined plant-based protein with both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. You can swap your favorite vegan substitutes to keep this dish vegan, but I love the combination of both.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Jumbo pasta shells– you can find this at most large grocery stores in the pasta section
- Extra firm tofu, or sub ricotta
- Shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese
- Fire-roasted corn– I love to buy mine frozen. You can use canned corn or grilled corn that’s sliced off the cob
- Caramelized onion
- Marinara sauce– use your favorite brand of marinara sauce, or prepare your own
- Pesto– store-bought or homemade
- Fresh basil and crushed pistachios, to top
How To Make Stuffed Shells:
Boil your pasta– you can use regular or gluten-free shells for this recipe
Saute your onion– heat some olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until soft and browned
Make your filliing– mash the tofu or blend it, then mix it with the spices, roasted corn, onion and shredded mozzarella cheese. If you prefer a creamier filling, I suggest blending the tofu before mixing it in with the other ingredients
Stuff your shells– once your mixture is made, begin stuffing your shells with the filling
Layer and bake– layer your shells in a baking dish coated in marinara sauce, then top them off with more sauce and spoonfuls of pesto. You can use store bought or homemade pesto
Preparing ahead of time
Here are a few suggestions if you wanted to prepare this dish in advance-
Saute the onion ahead of time
You can caramelize the onion up to a day in advance to save some time when preparing the filling
Bake when ready to serve
Follow the preparation instructions up until the baking step, then stick the dish in the oven 30-40 minutes before serving. The shells can be made and stuffed up to a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake
Serve this dish with a fresh green salad or baked salmon for a well-rounded dinner that’s full of flavor!
Other hearty recipes you’ll love:
Spring Couscous Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
Rainbow Quinoa Salad
Spinach & Artichoke Orzo and Salmon
Corn & Caramelized Onion Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 oz jumbo pasta shells
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained (14 oz)
- 1 cup corn, I used frozen fire-roasted corn. You can use canned or grilled corn that’s sliced off the cob
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup pistachio pesto, or store-bought
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- Fresh basil, to top
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in the pasta shells. Cook for about 10 minutes until the texture is al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta boils, heat a skillet on medium heat and add in two tbsp of olive oil. Add in the diced yellow onion and saute for about 10-15 minutes on medium/low heat until browned and caramelized. Make sure to stir every couple of minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the tofu and mash it well with a fork or your hands. You can also blend it if you prefer a creamier filling.
- Add in the tsp of garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper and generous pinch of salt. Mix in the sauteed onion, corn, and shredded mozzarella and combine using your hands or a rubber spatula. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F
- Layer about 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish or 12″ round dish.
- Stuff the pasta shells with about 2 tbsp of the filling and place the stuffed shells on top of the layer of sauce. Repeat with remaining shells.
- Once the shells are filled and lined up, pour the remaining marinara over the top, spoon the pesto around the dish and sprinkle the parmesan and crushed pistachios over the top.
- Cover the pan and bake for 20 minutes, then finish baking uncovered on the top rack for 10 minutes. If you wanted to prepare this dish ahead of time, you can hold off on baking until 30-40 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh basil when serving.
Ratings and Reviews
write a review