Cozy up with a plate full of Cheesy Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce and Crispy Sage ASAP. This vegetarian dinner is filling and full of flavor, with a homemade butternut squash sauce and jumbo shells filled with a hearty ricotta and spinach mixture.
Ingredients
Sauce:
1lbbutternut squash, peeled and diced (approximately 3.5 cups)
Prepare the sauce: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the diced butternut squash, onion, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until squash is tender.
Shells: meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo shells for half the recommended cook time. Drain and rinse. Set aside.
Filling: As the shells cook, prepare the filling by mixing together all the filling ingredients (cheeses, minced garlic, and dried spices/herbs). Taste test and adjust salt levels as needed. Set aside.
Once vegetables have roasted, reduce oven heat to 375°F. Place the vegetables in a blender (or a large stockpot if immersion blending) along with the vegetable stock. Place the lid on top, cracking the top hole a bit to allow steam to escape. Puree ingredients together, blending until smooth. Add additional stock if needed. Taste and adjust for salt levels.
Assembly: spread 2 cups of the sauce on the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 ceramic or glass baking dish. Take a shell and scoop or pipe approximately 2 TBSP of filling inside of it, placing it on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Continue filling each shell until finished. Top the shells with the remaining 1 cup of sauce. Sprinkle additional cheese on top as desired.
Baking: Bake for 26-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.
Crispy Sage: While the pasta bakes, melt 1 TBSP butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves, and using a fork, turn occasionally as they crisp up in the butter for 2-4 minutes. Once they're crispy and deep green in color, remove with the fork and place on a paper towel until ready to serve. Garnish baked pasta with the sage.
Notes
*Look for cheese specifically labeled vegetarian, if needed.