Stuffed Shells with Fennel Sauce
Submitted by lastchancefight
Pasta shells stuffed with tofu, mozzarella, mushrooms, and red pepper, baked under a fresh fennel and tomato sauce. A lighter, plant-forward spin on stuffed shells.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
25 minREADY
60 minThis isn’t your standard stuffed shells situation, and that’s exactly what makes it so good.
The filling swaps traditional ricotta for crumbled tofu blended with fat-free mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, red pepper, and thyme. It’s lighter but still creamy and satisfying.
The real star is the sauce: fresh fennel bulb and fennel seeds cooked down with scallions, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. That sweet, anise-like flavor wraps around each shell and transforms the whole dish into something you won’t stop thinking about.
Variations
- Use ricotta instead of tofu for a more traditional filling with extra richness.
- Add a handful of fresh spinach to the mushroom mixture for even more green goodness.
- Finish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat against that sweet fennel sauce.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep cooked shells separated on an oiled sheet pan so they don’t stick together while you prep the filling.
- Cook the mushrooms until all the liquid evaporates. Watery mushrooms mean a soggy filling.
- Cover with foil for the first 15 minutes to let the sauce steam through, then uncover for the final stretch.
Ingredients
Directions
PASTA: Cook Shells, Set aside, taking care to keep separate so they won’t stick.
FILLING: While the Pasta cooks, sauté garlic.
Add mushrooms, red pepper, thyme, salt and pepper.
Cook until mushroom liquid evaporates.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
Add the Tofu and Cheese to the mushroom mixture, and toss to combine thoroughly.
Press some of the filling into each of the cooked shells.
Set the stuffed shells in a shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with oil.
PreHeat the oven to 350 degreesF.
SAUCE: Sauté scallions for three minutes.
Add the fennel, fennel seed, pepper, and salt, and cook the mixture, stirring often, another three minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste, and cook the sauce 5 minutes longer.
Pour the sauce over the stuffed shells, cover the shells with foil, sealing the edges.
Put the shells in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the foil, and continue baking the shells for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until dish is heated through.
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