Talk about comfort food! This dish screams fall flavors and for a good reason. We’ve got pasta, we’ve got roasted squash, we’ve got cheese galore, we have cream sauce, we have not fit into pre-quarantine pants in a while now. (it’s fine, everything’s fine, I just bough a spin bike, we’re thriving)
The first time I made stuffed pasta of any shape was in college when I was going to my boyfriend’s parents house and was asked to bring a meal. What the hell was I going to bring? Jack said that they liked manicotti, and so I got to work testing manicotti recipes what seemed like for weeks. It was delicious. Sausage, mushroom, spinach manicotti in a red sauce topped with cheese. I still make it when I’m feeling like I need a good comfort food, so when I was thinking of Thanksgiving comfort sides, stuffed pasta came to mind. I didn’t want to make a meat version because sausage + turkey is just too much for me and I think it takes it from a side to a main pretty quickly. That being said, this is a great main vegetarian dish or anytime dinner. It freezes well and feeds a crowd very nicely.
Ok, so I knew stuffed shells were going to be on the table but what was going in them. Um, just the greatest fall combo of all time – butternut squash and ricotta. While these can be a little time consuming and messy, it’s another recipe that is great for kids to help with because you can mix the filling together in a plastic bag and then cut the corner and have your kiddo help stuff the shells. Also very easy to do after a few glasses of wine.
I also think this is easy to prep ahead of time, especially the filling, and can just keep it in an airtight container. I also think you can fully make this the day before thanksgiving and reheat it in the oven before serving. It will also stay hot for a very long time if you cover it so it’s a fuss-free side.
Ricotta and Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
1 (12-ounce) package jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells total)
kosher salt
Bechamel Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg (Optional)
Shell Ingredients
2 cups of whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach (thawed and all the water squeezed out)
1 egg
Salt and pepper
zest of one lemon
Topping
1/2 cup sliced fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Tools
Large stockpot
strainer
measuring cups and spoons
large mixing bowl
spatula
medium sauce pan
piping bag or ziplock bag
9×13 baking dish
aluminum foil – if making ahead
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook pasta shells according to box instructions, making sure they are al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients until well combined. The squash might lose its shape which is fine, it’s important that everything is well mixed. Set aside
In a medium sauce pan, place over medium heat and melt butter, making sure it doesn’t brown. Once the butter is melted, add in the flour and stir. The flour will soak up all of the butter and look very dry. Stir for a few minutes until the flour is toasted and has turned a warm light brown color. Slowly add in the milk in four increments, stirring continuously until a thick sauce forms. Once all the milk has been incorporated and it’s a smooth sauce, remove from heat and stir in nutmeg. Set aside.
To assemble, pour half of the béchamel sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and make sure it spreads evenly over the bottom.
Take a shell and carefully pipe in the filling, or you can use your fingers to stuff it, until the shell is full and starts to overflow. Place into the baking dish and repeat with the remaining shells, If you have leftover filling, just pipe into the dish in any empty spots that might be there. Cover with remaining béchamel sauce and top with grated parm and mozzarella.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
If making the day before cook all the way through and let cool to room temp. Cover with aluminum foil, and on day of, bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until warm.
Happy Thanksgiving Eating!
Kelly
