Sweetpotato Ricotta Stuffed Shells
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Mashed sweet potatoes and ricotta cheese make up a flavorful, creamy filling in this recipe for vegetarian stuffed shells!
When brainstorming new recipe ideas for the blog, pasta is always a go-to favorite. My thought process is basically, “how can I make lasagna, manicotti or stuffed shells just a little bit different so that I can eat them over and over again?” 😉
While I’ve posted recipes for Mediterranean Stuffed Shells, Mexican Stuffed Shells & Buffalo Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells on the blog, I’ve never posted a vegetarian stuffed shells recipe. That is until today!
I combined creamy, flavorful sweet potatoes with ricotta cheese to fill the shells, then added even more sweet potato flavor to the dish with a Three Cheese Sweet Potato Sauce.
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Ricotta Vegetarian Stuffed Shells
- 1 lb. sweet potatoes
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Three Cheese Sweet Potato Sauce
- 3 cups sweet potatoes (peeled & cubed)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp fresh sage (chopped)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup gruyere cheese (grated)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
Three Cheese Sweet Potato Sauce Instructions
Add the sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, milk and garlic to a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, reduce the heat on the stove to low.
Add the ricotta cheese, nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender or potato masher to combine the ingredients into a sauce.
Add the gruyere & mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce. Cover the sauce and set aside.
Sweet Potato Ricotta Vegetarian Stuffed Shells Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and add to the boiling water.
Boil for 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and mash the sweet potatoes. Add the ricotta cheese, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix everything together, then set aside.
Bring another large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta shells. Cook for 7-8 minutes, just before al dente. Drain then set aside.
Once cool to the touch, fill the pasta shells with the sweetpotato and ricotta mixture.
Pour half of the three cheese sweet potato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce.
Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and top with the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve the vegetarian stuffed shells topped with crushed red pepper flakes for just a little bit of spice!
Sweet Potato Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Three Cheese Sweet Potato Sauce
- 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
- Begin by making the four cheese sweet potato sauce.
- Add the sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, milk and garlic to a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes are tender, reduce the heat on the stove to low.
- Add the ricotta cheese, nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper.
- Use an immersion blender or potato masher to combine the ingredients into a sauce.
- Add the gruyere & mozzarella cheese, stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce.
- Cover the sauce and set aside.
- To prepare the shells, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and add to the boiling water.
- Boil for 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and mash the sweet potatoes.
- Add the ricotta cheese, cinnamon and nutmeg, mix everything together, then set aside.
- Bring another large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the pasta shells, cook for 7-8 minutes, just before al dente, drain then set aside.
- Once cool to the touch, fill the pasta shells with the sweet potato and ricotta mixture.
- Pour half of the three cheese sweet potato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and top with the parmesan cheese and Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
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2 Comments on “Sweetpotato Ricotta Stuffed Shells”
Have you tried freezing these? I would love to make these for a big party (50 people) but would need it made beforehand. Any advice is appreciated.
looks delicious, thanks