Have your detoxifying cruciferous veggies and eat (vegan) stuffed pasta too.
The unthinkable becomes a delicious reality when you've got a baking dish full of jumbo stuffed shells filled with cauliflower "ricotta" getting toasty in the oven. And we've got the brilliant, creative, and downright refreshing Mary Mattern to thank for this game-changer.
That's a dish of the good stuff.
This veggie-laden twist on a comforting classic is from Mary's cookbook Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking. With mouth-watering, vegan recipes like this one and many others, (e.g., Gingerbread French Toast, Snickerdoodle Banana Bites, Buffalo Cauliflower Kale Salad, Shiitake Mushroom Po'Boy with Remoulade, and Deep Fried Guacamole --> what?!!) it's no wonder that Mary has garnered the attention and praise of celebrities and plant-based all-stars.
Beyond an alarmingly high number of  recipes that I want to make (all at once/right this second), Nom Yourself also contains a treasure trove of Mary's personal anecdotes. They're nestled into the headings of each and every recipe, and you'd be remiss to pass over all that goodness in hasty pursuit of those drool-worthy recipes. Savor it all. She's brave, witty, and hip; and her stories reliably evoke a head nod and/or giggle.
You can grab your very own copy of Nom Yourself here and be sure to checkout Mary's awesome Instagram account for oodles of plant-powered inspiration.
Also, scroll down to...
1| Grab the recipe for these delectable Cauliflower Ricotta Stuffed Shells.
2| Enter to win a copy of Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking
📖 Recipe
Cauliflower Ricotta Stuffed Shells from Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking + A Cookbook Giveaway!
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (I used a ½ bunch of parsley)
- 2 pinches of sea salt (I used several)
- 1 (12-ounce) jar tomato sauce, or 1½ cups homemade tomato sauce
- 1 (12-ounce) package jumbo shells, cooked to al dente and drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a blender**, blend the cauliflower, olive oil, nutritional yeast, almond milk, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and sea salt. Don’t overblend. You want to eliminate big chunks of cauliflower, but you still want a coarse consistency.
- Spread the tomato sauce on the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish.
- Stuff the shells with the cauliflower mixture, arrange them in the baking dish, and pour the remaining sauce on top of the shells.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Add some fresh basil and vegan Parmesan cheese on top if you have it! If you don’t have shells, you can also use manicotti, or use the cauliflower ricotta for lasagna.
Notes
Nom Yourself CookbookGiveaway
One winner will receive a copy of Mary Mattern's Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking. For a chance to win, simply enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below and comment on this post between September 18th and October 2nd. Please note: this giveaway is only open to residents of the United States.
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Tabitha T. says
Sounds yummy! I love finding dairy free Italian recipes!!
Karlie says
New vegan recipes to try is always such a treat!! :)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Using cauliflower is genius! I love that's it's nut-free then! They look amazing!
Francesca says
This recipe is pure genius :) and as I'm Italian, I love it even more. Why I'd love to get a copy of Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking? Because I need it in my life!! :D ♥♥♥
Inez says
I get so excited when I see an exciting recipe and already have everything in my kitchen! Trying this tonight!
Ashley says
Yes! Hope you enjoy/ed it!
Janel says
I am committed to eating healthier, so I would love to learn more delicious vegan recipes!
angela says
My toddler thinks the picture looks delicious (and so do I). We're always looking for new vegan recipes to try.
Ashley says
That is so sweet!! I hope you and your little one enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Mary is one talented gal.
Bronwyn says
Such a great alternative to a tofu ricotta! Looking forward to trying this out!
Beth R. says
I love not only the health benefits and peace of mind that come with eating a plant-based lifestyle, but I thoroughly enjoy the creativity in the recipes. I'm also so blown away by the imagination. This book already seems to be bursting with creativity!
Heather says
I often see stuffed shell recipes and wish I could try a vegan version, so I'm uber inspired by this one! Also, so excited to check out Nom Yourself and all of the recipes you highlight in it. Love her pictures!
Marsha A says
Love cauliflower recipes! More vegan recipes, yay.
paula rothman says
love love love new cookbooks. like an adventure to find new palate pleasing recipes
Helen says
Wow, sounds pretty amazing! I'll try it soon, and would love to see more.
DJ says
There are so many great recipes in here that I would love to try.
Suzanne C says
I would love to have this cookbook, because there are never too many yummy vegan recipes!
Hannah says
I LOVE stuffed shells..this is a twist I'm totally down for.
Maddie says
This recipe looks fantastic! I can't wait to try it out!
Karissa @ Vegan À La Mode says
Wow this looks so amazing! I follow Mary/Nom Yourself on Instagram and am always amazed by her creations! I would love to win this because her recipes sound so amazing!
sarah says
i collect cookbooks!
Caherine says
I have been wanting to start a cook book collection like my mom's and this would be a great start!
Stacey says
I typically try to avoid most dairy as it is, but I recently was advised to go off of all cow's milk protein completely while I nurse my son... I could definitely use this for some refreshed motivation in the kitchen!
Veronique says
I would LOVE to win a copy of Nom Yourself! I've been dying to have this book!
Ani says
I am a college kid always looking for great vegan recipes, this looks great!
Kim Henrichs says
I have it on my amazon wishlist - it looks like such a perfect cookbook for healthy food!
Al says
The cauliflower idea is amazing!
Donna F. says
I would love to win because I've been getting so bored with my meals and need some new ideas!
Adele says
I'm looking for lots of healthy recipes and the ones in this cookbook sound delicious!
Melissa K. says
I cannot buy any cookbooks right now for financial reasons. This looks like a total winner! Very interesting recipes!
janet @ the taste space says
Wow - these are gorgeous. It always surprises me what you can make with cauliflower. :)
Anna says
I've been wanting Nom Yourself! Mary's recipes are so wonderful, I can't wait to try the ones in her cookbook. (:
Natalia M says
I love how simple this recipe is to make, despite the fact that it looks like it would be more time consuming. Also, this is a great example of a fish that would impress my non-vegan guests. I can't wait to make these shells, I'm sure the rest of the recipes in the book are just as good. Would love to get my hands in the book.
Natalia M says
dish*
Shannon says
Everything I have seen posted on @nomyourself's instagram account has looked phenomenal. It would be awesome to finally have my own copy of her recipes!
Melissa says
I've pinned this--it looks divine!
Jess says
Hi! I was wondering if I could make the mixture ahead of time (maybe 1-3 days). A big part of making sure I eat healthy and full meals during the week is to do meal prep on Sundays. Excited to try this recipe! Thanks!
Ashley says
Hi, Jess! I made these on a Saturday and then enjoyed them for lunch throughout the first half of the week, so I would say that you can definitely make the mixture or prep the entire recipe/bake it ahead of time. Then, just reheat when you want a serving. I hope this helps! :)
Sara says
This cookbook caught my eye on Amazon for its simple recipes. I would love to win it for easy school night dinners!
Laura says
I've been excited about this cookbook for a long time! It looks incredible!
Rachel says
I want to win a copy because I need new vegan recipes! And that cauliflower ricotta looks amazing!
Ashley says
I love her Instagram, she makes the most beautiful food!
Martha H says
This recipe looks terrific. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Vanessa says
3 words: Simple. Vegan. Cooking. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the more complex/challenging recipes, but I love cookbooks that offer something simple and tasty.
Diana says
I would love to win this cookbook because if Ashley says it's good, then I know it's good! Can't wait to try this recipe!
Natalie says
I want to win a copy because this book would be a wonderful edition to my vegan cookbook library! these stuffed shells look absolutely awesome!
Tracy Spangler says
My two young daughters and I recently decided to become vegetarians, with a lot of vegan meals and treats on our to-make-soon list as well! I'm delighted my 4 and 8 year old's made such a wise, compassionate choice- one that I did not make until my teens, and stopped until recently.
I love to cook, as do my girls, but I can definitely use some new recipes and inspiration! Your site has been wonderful, and the recipes in Nom Yourself look divine! I'd love to make more vegan dinners and treats, and would be delighted to receive this cookbook. Thank you so much!
David says
Looks and sounds delicious, and good for those on ultra low-fat diets for gallbladder disorders and the like!
jill conyers says
I'm always on the lookout for new vegan cookbooks and this one looks like a must have.
andrea says
I'm always on the lookout for new recipe inspiration - especially with cauliflower!
Katy S. says
This looks amazing, and I love that it's cauliflower, not tofu! Can't wait to try it!
Becca F says
I'm in a bit of a recipe rut right now. I feel that this would help me immensely with that :)
Corrine says
I'd like to win it because the recipes look delicious!
Amy says
I made these tonight. I'm the vegan in the house and I thought they were pretty tasty! In fact, I snacked on some of the leftovers and they tasted even better cold from the fridge. They also looked beautiful. The non-vegans in the house thought the shells were just meh--ok, and they would eat them again, but I shouldn't go out of my way to make them if the recipe was a lot of work. (It wasn't a lot of work, and I really enjoyed them, so I will definitely make these again. So there.) This isn't a dish that will fool a non-vegan into thinking they are eating real ricotta stuffed shells, but it's probably not meant to be. I think the shells stand up well as a low-fat, lighter, and overall healthier version of the Italian classic.
Ashley's tip to saute the cauliflower ricotta was brilliant. It definitely reduced the pungency of the cauliflower and made the ricotta mixture taste better, IMO. Not sure how it would have tasted without the extra step of sauteing, but I'm tempted to try it just to see what the flavor is like. I'm also tempted to try roasting the cauliflower first, but then the ricotta probably won't look as nice : )
Lydia Claire says
We''re trying to build up our library of vegan cookbooks!
Robin says
Looks yummy. I wonder if this could win over my cauliflower hating husband and sons. It is one of my favorite veggies.
Calie says
I'll be cutting dairy out of my diet soon. I will have to try this recipe out!
Karen D says
This looks so delicious that it makes me want to try her other recipes!
Cassie @ Almost Getting it Together says
I love vegan recipes but sometimes they seem so complicated... I want to try simpler ones that are made of real, whole foods.
alison says
this was really good! I was surprised, because the cauliflower kind of seemed like a terrible idea ;) I think that cooking the cauliflower mixture really helped. I also added more salt than called for and topped it with a yummy cashew parmesan. I will definitely keep this recipe for the future!
Dani says
Will definitely be making this again! With less garlic & nutritional yeast next time though :-)
Angela says
did you pre-cook the shells at all or just put them in the baking dish with the pre-cooked filling and sauce?
Ashley says
Hi, Angela! As noted in the ingredients list, you’ll want to cook the shells to al dente and drain them first.
Megan says
So I am way late to the party, but I genuinely have no idea how you blended this mixture. My blender is fairly nice and it said nope. I hand chopped it so this was a little disappointing but next time I might just buy a bag of cauliflower rice and do that haha
Ashley says
Hi, Megan! I'm so sorry the recipe gave you trouble. A high-powered blender (e.g., vitamix) should get the job done, but I personally use a food processor because I find it's much easier that way. Since this recipe was taken directly from the cookbook for the purposes of the review, it's shared word-for-word as it was written there by the author, but I'll add a note in about the food processor.
Barry says
Tasted good enough (I added more nutritional yeast and salt) but there is no way my food processor nor my blender could handle all of this. Ended up doing it in batches. Also, there's no way this ever fit in an 8x8 dish. We ended using a 15 x 10 and still didn't use all the shells.