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Meatless Mondays just got a whole lot better with my butternut squash stuffed shells recipe.
This dish is full of creamy ricotta cheese, spinach, and butternut squash puree. It’s perfect for any family dinner and impressive enough for company.
Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s creamy, sweet, savory, rich, and amazingly satisfying.
- It’s the perfect hearty dish for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
- This recipe feeds up to 6 people having 3 shells each. Serve it with a small side salad and some crusty bread.
- You can make and assemble the entire recipe ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you are ready for dinner.
Ingredients
Let’s Make Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Butternut Squash Puree
- Peel the butternut squash and slice it in half.
- Remove and discard the seeds.
- Cut the squash into large chunky pieces.
- Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes at 400°.
- When the squash is finished, place it in a blender and blend until smooth.
- While the squash is roasting, cook the shells 1-2 minutes less time than on the box instructions.
- When they are finished cooking, rinse them in cool water and set them aside while you make the filling.
- Mix the spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and egg.
- Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Spoon a layer of squash puree on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Fill the shells with the spinach and cheese mixture and place them on the squash puree.
- Top each of the cheese stuffed shells with more squash puree.
- To make the brown butter sauce, heat the butter in a small saucepan until it begins to turn brown and foamy.
- Remove it from the heat and add the sage leaves. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the hot butter mixture over the entire dish.
- Zest the lemon over the shells.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the shells right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make this recipe ahead of time?
Prepare the recipe through step #12 above, cover it tightly with aluminum foil up to a day in advance. When you are ready to bake the dish, make the brown butter sage sauce, drizzle it over the stuffed shells, add the lemon zest, and bake.
Can I use another type of squash in this recipe?
Of course! I recommend using pumpkin so you still get a bit of sweetness. You could also use acorn squash or delicata squash.
Can I use fresh spinach?
I’m sure you can, but I haven’t tried it. I would imagine it would take a lot of fresh spinach to get the amount you need for this recipe.
Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
- Cook the entire box of pasta shells even though you may not use them all. Some of the shells will crack so you won’t be able to fill all of them.
- Cook the pasta shells so they are al dente. You want them cooked but firm enough to stay together when you stuff them.
- Be sure to rinse the cooked shells in cool water to stop the cooking process.
- I used a spoon to stuff the shells. But, you can also place the cheese spinach mixture into a ziptop bag, snip off a corner and use it as a piping bag to pipe the mixture into the shells.
- If you end up with extra squash puree, put it in a zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 6 months.
More Popular KKM Recipes
- Cranberry Muffin Top Cookies
- Parmesan Herb Wonton Crisps
- Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
- Spinach and Feta Galette
- Fall Harvest Salad
Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Meatless Mondays just got a whole lot better with my butternut squash stuffed shells recipe. This dish is full of creamy ricotta cheese, spinach, and butternut squash puree. It's perfect for any family dinner and impressive enough for company.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 25-30 jumbo shells
- 1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4-6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 lemon – zest and juice
Instructions
Squash Puree
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Peel the butternut squash and slice it in half.
- Remove and discard the seeds.
- Cut the squash into large chunky pieces.
- Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes.
- When the squash is finished, put it in a blender and blend on high until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add chicken broth, chicken stock, or water.
Assembly and Baking
- While the squash is roasting, cook the shells 2 minutes less time than on the box instructions.
- When the shells are ready, drain them, and put them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool.
- Reduce oven heat to 375°.
- Mix the spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and egg. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Spoon a layer of squash puree on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Prepare a piping bag with a large 1A tip and pipe the spinach ricotta mixture into the shells.
- Arrange the filled shells on top of the squash puree.
- To make the brown butter sauce, heat the butter in a small saucepan until it begins to turn brown and foamy.
- Remove it from the heat and add the sage leaves. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the hot butter mixture over the entire dish.
- Zest the lemon over the shells.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes.
- Uncover it and bake another 5 minutes.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the shells right before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta shells al dente. They should be cooked but firm enough to stay together when stuffed.
- Use a piping page with a large 1A tip for piping ricotta cheese spinach mixture or use a tablespoon.
- If there is extra squash puree, place it in a zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 6 months.
If you make this recipe, show me a pic! You can upload your photo to your Instagram account and tag me @krazykitchenmom
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