SURE TO FOOL 'EM VEGAN STUFFED SHELLS

Sure to Fool 'Em Vegan Stuffed Shells image

Ok, this is my go-to recipe for those skeptics who say vegan can't be fun and flavorful! Oh yeah ... it fools them every time! Yup, even my East Coast/Italian friends! (You know who you are)! Perfect for a potluck, generous enough for a family dinner (maybe even leftovers)! Serve with salad and crusty bread! No one will know it's not ricotta! Get crazy and experiment with other veggies in the tofu mixture like mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, swiss chard, etc. for added flavor and vitamins.

Provided by Connie Fabian Byrnes

Categories Main Dish Recipes Stuffed Main Dish Recipes

Time 1h20m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10.5 ounce) container bruschetta
1 pinch salt
¼ cup red wine
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 (16 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained
½ onion, quartered
½ (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3 tablespoons pesto
½ (8 ounce) package Mozzarella-style vegan soy cheese

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic; cook and stir until the garlic begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, bruschetta, and salt. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, then stir in the red wine and sugar. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then spread layer of the prepared tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Place the tofu, onion, spinach, and pesto into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour the tofu mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Snip the corner off the bottom of the bag, and pipe the mixture into the pasta shells. Arrange the pasta shells in the prepared baking pan. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the shells, then cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until the pasta shells are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and sprinkle the soy cheese on top. Return to the oven and continue baking until the the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 586.1 calories, Carbohydrate 79.5 g, Cholesterol 2.5 mg, Fat 19.2 g, Fiber 6.1 g, Protein 23 g, SaturatedFat 5.6 g, Sodium 1028.1 mg, Sugar 14.9 g