Comfort food, to me, feeds the body, mind, and well- belly of course. The light and smooth ricotta cheese with fresh herbs makes for a remarkable flavor combination with my pasta sauce (or gravy) as some may refer to it as. Paired with a tomato sauce, homegrown basil, and baked to perfection, what can be better than that? This recipe is great for an easy weekday dinner or even a quick meal prep for the busy work or school week.
Yields 3-4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 box Barilla Jumbo Pasta Shells, cooked
2 cups pasta sauce
Ricotta:
1 (8 oz.) extra Firm tofu, pressed
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1-2 tsp. garlic, minced
3 cups sautéed spinach, chopped and patted dry
3/4 cup Vitacost unsalted cashews, soaked overnight
3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
Directions
- In a food processor, combine all ricotta ingredients until smooth; pulse roughly 1-2 minutes.
- Scoop mixture into a container and place into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta according to the box instructions and allow to cool.
- Fill the shells carefully with the ricotta mixture you prepared earlier. Repeat until all shells are filled. Place into a baking dish with pasta sauce on the bottom.
- Pour remaining sauce around the shells and cover with a lid.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes covered to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce.
- Serve with salad or side of choice.
Chef’s tip: Add red pepper flakes to the mixture, it gives a great spicy flavor.
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