Back when I ate dairy, I always found ricotta to be super weird. I’m one of this texture people… and it was always such a stranger texture for me. So when I discovered a hazelnut ricotta recipe, I was all in. Let me tell you, I like this ricotta so much better than the “real thing”. I mostly use it in my very very popular vegan lasagna, but here’s a video of how to use it in Stuffed Shells.
Feel free to modify.. It’s super easy to do.. Season it more or less to your liken, add ketchup if you like that sweet touch in your red pasta dishes… Use vegan beef crumble instead of lentils… skip the spinach. Whatever you want 🙂
8 oz. vegan jumbo pasta shells
15 oz. lentils
1 1⁄2 cup Hazelnut ricotta (see below )
8 oz. Frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry
Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and sea salt to taste
1 jar (25oz.) marinara sauce
12 oz. vegan mozzarella shreds
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Cook shells in salted boiling water until barely tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and cool until cold water. Drain again. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large bowl, combine lentils, ricotta and spinach. Season to taste.
Spread half the marinara over the bottom of the baking dish to coat it. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each shell and places the open side up in the dish, packing them into the dish tightly in a single layer. Pour remaining marinara evenly over the shells and sprinkle with mozzarella and bread crumbs.
Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling for about 40-45 minutes. Enjoy!
HAZELNUT RICOTTA
1 1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, soaked at least 6 hours
1⁄2 cup water
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
2 1⁄2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until but all fully ground, making sure to scrape the sides until the entire mixture is smooth.