Stuffed shells are fun to make and fun to eat. We like to mix up the stuffing, and this time of year, butternut squash is abundant. Because I roasted the squash yesterday and soaked the cashews overnight, the meal comes together in no time. and it is delicious! You can make your own sauce like I did or use your favorite.
Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
1 cup roasted butternut squash, mashed
1 cup cashew ricotta cheese
1 dozen medium pasta shells (make a few extra in case they break when cooking)
S and P
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Cashew Parmesan
Prepare the squash and cashew ricotta ahead of time:
To roast butternut squash, cube it and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (A whole butternut squash will give you more than 1 cup which means more butternut squash recipes this week!) Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
To make cashew ricotta cheese, soak 1 cup of cashews overnight. Drain and then place in blender with enough water to just cover the cashews. Blend until creamy and ricotta like. Pour into strainer with tight mesh to drain excess water.
Prepare the sauce & cashew parmesan.
Preheat the oven to 350. Boil pasta shells.
Mash the squash and mix with the ricotta. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Drain the pasta shells and run under cold water. Stuff with a spoonful of the squash/ricotta mixture.
Pour sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the shells on top and bake for 15 minutes to heat everything through.
To plate, ladle sauce on the bottom of a plate. Arrange the shells and a sprinkle of Cashew Parmesan. Enjoy!
