Veggie Stuffed Shells

 

Looking for a hearty dish for Meatless Monday or a terrific side dish that will wow a crowd?  If you are this will be a unique and immediate hit for you!  Vegetarian stuffed shells; made with roasted peppers, carrots, cauliflower, and spinach in a cheesy red sauce!

You'll need:

Shells: you’ll need large/jumbo shells for this recipe.

Parmesan & Mozzarella: these two cheeses will be used for the filling and melting over top the shells.

Marinara: a quality marinara is always recommended.

Fresh herbs: using fresh basil and oregano adds bright flavor to every bite or you can opt for Italian Seasoning.

Vegetables: for the filling, I chose carrots, cauliflower, baby peppers for a sweet flavor, and spinach for some greens.  You can also use any veggie you love for this recipe.

Garlic: to sauté with the spinach! I added Sun Dried Tomatoes, and they were a great add on. 

First, preheat the oven to 425F and roast carrot sticks, baby peppers, and cauliflower florets for 20 minutes with 2 teaspoons of oil and a sprinkle of salt.

While the veggies roast, cook the shells as the packaging instructs until al dente in texture. Remove and let sit in a shallow dish with a little water to prevent sticking.

In a saucepan, cook minced garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil for 30 seconds, then add spinach and cook with garlic until the spinach is wilted. Set aside.

Remove roasted vegetables and let them cool for a moment.  Add the vegetables to a cutting board, remove the stems from the peppers, and chop all the veggies into small pieces.

In a bowl, combine cooked spinach, chopped roasted veggies, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, chopped basil & oregano, and 1/3 cup marinara sauce. Mix together.

Add 1 1/2 cups of marinara to a large casserole baking dish. Then fill cooked shells with veggie filling and arrange in baking dish.  Spoon additional marinara over each stuffed shell and cover with remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes at 400F.