Classic Italian-style stuffed ricotta and spinach stuffed shells are turned into a comforting vegetarian autumn dish by adding roasted butternut squash, fresh sage leaves and a light cream sauce.

Roasted butternut squash is mashed and combined with ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, and seasonings to make a golden and green speckled filling that stuffs jumbo pasta shells. The shells are nestled over a creamy garlic white sauce, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese then popped into the oven to bake until golden and bubbly.

Ingredients and preparation for making stuffed shells

Butternut squash

Butternut squash is extra delicious when roasted. It has such a beautiful rich golden-orange colour, and becomes tender and lightly caramelized, which helps to bring out the buttery rich sweetness of the squash. It also pairs beautifully with fresh sage!

Best of all, butternut squash delivers lots of healthy carbohydrates, vitamins, and potassium. I can eat roasted butternut squash like candy! So that’s a hint … you just might want to roast some extra so you can snack on it.

Assembling the stuffed shells

We have a huge sage bush in our garden, which is a hardy perennial. I can usually harvest leaves well into early December if we don’t get a lot of frost. It usually rejuvenates by late March or April and I’m able to pluck leaves from it again. If you’re not able to grow sage, then small batches of it can easily be purchased in the produce section of your grocer at any time of the year.

Whenever I entertain in the fall, this mouthwatering dish is my #1 choice to serve. It’s the perfect vegetarian comfort food dinner that gives butternut squash a chance to take center stage.

Making the shells ahead and freezing

There are a few steps to making this dish but fortunately the stuffed shells can easily be made ahead. Stuff the shells then freeze them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (before assembling the white sauce). Once frozen pop them into zipper bags for storage in the freezer. This way you can use as many as you need when you need them: just reduce the amount of cream sauce and cheese topping and use a smaller baking dish if you intend to use half the shells.

The frozen shells can be placed directly on the freshly made cream sauce then baked (increase the baking time slightly). This way you can get two weeknight dinners out of this recipe. I’ve done this many times and love having a quick to assemble dinner on hand.

The full recipe makes approximately 32 shells and you can count on serving at least 3 – 4 per person as a main dish. The stuffed shells can be served with a green salad on the side to round off the meal.

Butternut Squash, Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Shells

Classic Italian-style stuffed shells filled with roasted butternut squash, ricotta, spinach and sage leaves baked in a light cream sauce makes the perfect autumn vegetarian meal.

Servings 8

Ingredients

Roasted Butternut Squash

4 cups 1” – 1 ½” diced butternut squash, about one small to medium squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage, plus more for garnish

Filling

400 g up to 500g tub ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups finely chopped fresh baby spinach
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

Cream Sauce & Topping

¼ cup butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups 10% or 18% cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, for topping

Pasta Shells

250 g box jumbo pasta shells, approximately 34 - 36 shells per box

Instructions

Roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread diced squash on a medium-sized parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sage. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and golden. Transfer squash to a medium bowl. With a potato masher, mash the squash to a creamy but chunky consistency. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave oven on but reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
Make the filling: In a medium bowl add the ricotta, garlic, spinach, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper, egg and creamed squash. Mix the ingredients well to combine.
Make the cream sauce: In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until the garlic just becomes golden. Whisk in the cream and cook until the cream is heated through and bubbling. Add salt and Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and set aside while assembling the shells.
Cook the pasta shells: Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a full boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon oil. Gently drop the pasta shells into the boiling water; cook for 10 – 11 minutes (or as package directs), until the shells are al dente. Gently drain the shells and rinse with cold water. Some may break, discard those.
Assembly: Prepare a 9 x 13” baking dish by greasing the bottom and sides with oil or cooking spray. Make sure the oven is still set at 350 degrees F. Spread cream sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Fill the cooked pasta shells with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Place shells on top of the cream sauce in the baking dish butting against each other. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese. Lightly tent with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 – 2 minutes to brown the top. Garnish with additional sage if desired. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.