Healthy Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells With Sage
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box jumbo pasta shells
- 1 medium butternut squash (roasted and pureed to make about 2 cups)
- 15 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (or a light cream sauce)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Extra fresh sage leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo shells according to the package directions, but aim for “al dente” (usually 1-2 minutes less than the full cook time). This ensures the shells remain firm enough to stuff and won’t get mushy in the oven. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the roasted butternut squash puree, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, chopped sage, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until the mixture is smooth and well-incorporated. The filling should be thick and creamy.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Take a cooked pasta shell and carefully fill it with about 2 tablespoons of the squash and cheese mixture. You can use a small spoon or even a piping bag to make this process cleaner and faster.
- Pour the vegetable broth (or light cream sauce) into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. This provides moisture so the shells don’t dry out. Place the stuffed shells into the dish in a single layer. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden. Garnish with whole sage leaves before serving hot.