roasted red pepper pesto stuffed shells
I don’t know where to start here, so I’ll just start. Look at the cheese.
I wasn’t fully aware that J has an obsession with stuffed shells. Baked ziti, I knew, but I had the idea that his ambivalence about ricotta rendered an ambivalence about shells. Quite wrong, I was. He gobbled these up with a grin. I love when first forays become successes and Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Stuffed Shells definitely were.
Stuffed shells take a crap ton of dishes but the process itself isn’t hard. You can pretty much whip up everything simultaneously, so your eyeballs may be rolling in circles as you check on the components, but I am pretty well seasoned to this so flicking dishes around like crumbs isn’t new. If you’re less inclined to act like a frantic squirrel in the kitchen, doing one thing at a time won’t harm you or add too much prep time to the final product. Much of this recipe is hands-off until you dig your paws into the melty finished dish.
The base of the shells is an easy roasted red pepper vodka sauce. I used canned roasted red peppers for ease but you can definitely char your own if you’re feeling ambitious. I was a bit lazy, so nah. Traditional vodka sauce contains parmesan but I omitted it due to the sheer volume of cheese involved otherwise. You can throw in 1/2-1 cup if you wish to absolutely no detriment.
While the vodka sauce simmers, boil the jumbo shells in a pot of water saltier than my personality. These are your vessels.
The filling is a simple mix of whole milk ricotta, pesto – homemade or from a jar, your choice. I used a vegan pesto, ironically – shredded provolone and parmesan, and a bit of spinach. All you do here is wield your spoon like a sword and stab at the components until they’re uniform.
Once you’ve got everything lined up and ready to go, preheat the oven to a humble 350. Time to get the hands dirty. Pour a bit of the vodka sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish or oven-safe skillet, just enough to cover the surface.
Some people pipe the filling into the shells but I don’t have time for that, so I just go with a good old fashioned tablespoon measure. Your everyday spoon works, too. Take a cooled jumbo shell and spread a good tablespoon of the filling inside. Tuck the shell into its bed of sauce, and repeat until all of the filling and shells are used. You can crowd the pan, no harm will come of it.
Final step is to tear some fresh mozzarella overtop to really make the eyes twitch on any lactose intolerant cohort who might be nearby. Tell them to cover their eyes.
I’d bookmark this recipe for any holiday gathering, perhaps Easter upcoming. I intend to develop some more recipes, both sweet and savory, before said Sunday to offer options to your brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert tables. Keep it in mind when wintry festivities roll around, too. I won’t let you forget, not to fear.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you’ve made!
More fun with noods:
Spicy Butternut Squash Alla Vodka Pasta with Garlicky Breadcrumbs
One Pan Cheesy Broccoli Pesto Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup vodka
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1 box jumbo shells
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta (about 1 container)
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
- 1 cup basil pesto, homemade or store bought
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large casserole dish.
- Puree the roasted red peppers in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium. Saute the garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes, and oregano until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Swirl in the tomato paste and red pepper puree, then add vodka and cook until liquid reduces by about half, 5-8 minutes. Drop in the butter, then stir in coconut milk and 1/2 cup broth or water. Simmer about 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens. Taste for salt and pepper. Finally, stir in the basil.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water. Boil the jumbo shells according to package directions. Drain.
- When ready to assemble, make the filling. In a bowl, stir the ricotta, parmesan, provolone, about 1/2 cup of pesto sauce, spinach, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well incorporated.
- Spread about half of the roasted red pepper sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Spoon about 1 tbsp filling into each shell and nestle into the dish. Repeat with remaining shells. It is okay if the shells overlap a bit and crowd the pan!
- When all the shells are filled, pour the rest of the red pepper sauce overtop. Drizzle pesto, then arrange torn mozzarella bits evenly across the shells. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese bubbles. Remove from oven and top with additional chopped basil as desired.
