Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce
These kale and ricotta stuffed shells with butternut squash sauce are creamy, cheesy, and full of fall flavor! Jumbo pasta shells are filled with kale, ricotta, and Parmesan, then baked in a flavorful squash sauce with melty mozzarella on top. For another cozy fall pasta dinner, try my pumpkin Alfredo pasta!
Recipe overview: Stuffed Shells with Kale, Ricotta and Butternut Squash
- Easier butternut squash sauce: My homemade butternut squash is simmered with garlic, herbs, and broth, then blended until smooth. No cream required!
- Creamy kale and ricotta filling: Tender sautéed kale is mixed with creamy ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and an egg to hold everything together.
- Easy stovetop-to-oven preparation: Make the sauce and bake the stuffed shells in the same oven-safe skillet for fewer dishes to wash.
- Perfect for fall and winter: A cozy baked pasta dinner that’s great for sharing with family and friends.
I love the flavor of butternut squash, but I’ve never been a huge fan of eating it roasted in chunks. It’s a texture thing! Blend it into a creamy sauce, though, and I’m all in. And that sauce is so good with stuffed pasta shells filled with kale and ricotta!
(If you’re like me, you might also love these butternut squash and mushroom enchiladas with a homemade butternut enchilada sauce.)
I first shared this recipe years ago, but recently gave it a little makeover to make it even easier. Now the squash cooks right in the skillet with garlic, herbs, and broth before getting blended into a smooth, creamy sauce. No roasting, no cream, and if you’ve got an oven-safe skillet, you can bake the shells right in the same pan. Less work and fewer dishes to wash? Yes please!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butternut squash: You’ll need 1 pound of peeled, cubed butternut squash. Buying pre-cut squash is a great shortcut and saves you the trouble of peeling and chopping a whole squash.
- Kale: Chop the kale into small pieces so it’s easy to mix into the ricotta filling and spoon into the pasta shells. You can also use spinach.
- Ricotta cheese: I prefer whole milk ricotta for its richer flavor and creamier texture. Cottage cheese can also be used as a substitute.
- Thyme and sage: These herbs complement the sweetness of the butternut squash and give the sauce its delicious savory flavor. I prefer fresh herbs, but dried will work too.
- Chicken or vegetable broth: This helps cook the squash and creates a smooth, pourable sauce without adding any cream. Use vegetable broth if you’d like to keep this dish strictly vegetarian.
- Jumbo pasta shells: Be sure to use jumbo shells made for stuffing, not regular small pasta shells. I always cook a few extra since some inevitably tear during cooking.
How to make kale and ricotta stuffed shells
The sauce, pasta, and filling come together in a few simple steps. You can also get several things going at once to save time, like simmering the sauce and pasta shells while you mix the filling.
My tips for the best stuffed shells
- If you’re starting with a whole butternut squash, double the sauce. Most whole squashes will be much larger than what you’ll need for this recipe. So if you double the sauce, you can save half of it to use as a pasta sauce another time! It freezes very well in a ziplock bag for 1-2 months.
- Starting pasta in cold water saves time. Instead of waiting for a big pot of water to boil before adding the pasta, you can start cooking the pasta and heating the water at the same time! It’s a great shortcut that can reduce the total cooking time. Just stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook until al dente, since the timing will vary depending on your stove.
- Keep the shells from sticking together. Once drained, spread them out on a greased sheet pan until you’re ready to fill them. This also makes the assembly process much easier.
- Make sure the squash is tender before blending. A smooth, creamy sauce is what makes this recipe so good! If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of water or reserved pasta water until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to save a dish. I like using my 3.5-quart enameled cast iron braiser. If you don’t have something similar, you can prepare the sauce in a large skillet and transfer everything to a 4-quart baking dish.
- Make it a complete meal with easy homemade breadsticks and a classic Caesar salad.
Make-ahead instructions
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can prepare the sauce ahead of time. I also love getting the shells assembled earlier in the day so all that’s left is baking them before dinner.
The butternut squash sauce can be made in advance, cooled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious.
Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce
Jumbo pasta shells filled with kale and ricotta cheese, baked in a bath of homemade butternut squash sauce. It’s a dish the whole family is sure to love!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1 lb cubed butternut squash , 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon thyme , fresh preferred
- ½ teaspoon sage , fresh preferred
- 1 teaspoon salt , divided
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 25 jumbo pasta shells
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese (preferably whole milk ricotta)
- ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Additional herbs , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook kale: Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add kale and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened, stirring often. Transfer kale to a medium bowl and set aside.1 tablespoons Olive oil, 4 cups chopped kale
- Make butternut squash sauce: Return skillet to medium heat, heat another 1 Tbsp olive oil, then add butternut squash, garlic, herbs and salt. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until squash edges are a bit caramelized and garlic is fragrant. 1 lb cubed butternut squash, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon sage, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add broth and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 13-15 minutes until squash is tender, stirring as needed so the squash cooks evenly.1 tablespoons Olive oil, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Cook pasta shells: While the sauce ingredients are simmering, add shells to a another pot, cover with cold water, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until shells are just "al dente" (tender but still slightly firm). This took about 12 minutes total on my induction stove, but your cooking time may vary depending on your stove, start checking for doneness 5 minutes after water starts boiling.25 jumbo pasta shells
- Mix filling: While sauce and pasta shells are cooking, mix filling. Add ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and salt to the bowl with the kale and mix until combined.8 ounces ricotta cheese, ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Blend sauce: Once butternut squash is tender, blend sauce carefully with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth (If too much broth evaporated while cooking, add a bit of water or reserved pasta water to make at least 3 cups of sauce).
- Assembled stuffed shells: If using an oven-safe skillet, leave the blended butternut squash sauce in the skillet. Otherwise, spread the sauce in the bottom of a greased 4-quart baking dish. Spoon the kale and ricotta filling into the cooked pasta shells and nestle them into the sauce, open sides facing up. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top.1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake: Bake the stuffed shells in the oven until cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden on the top, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve: Add a garnish of chopped herbs for color, if you want. Then serve while hot, and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Butternut squash: Many grocery stores now sell chopped butternut squash that’s ready to cook, which will save you a step! If you use a whole butternut squash, you’ll need to peel, remove seeds and chop yourself. Most will be larger than you’ll need for this recipe, but you can always double the sauce and reserve half for another pasta dish later. It will freeze very well in a ziplock bag.
- Herbs: I prefer fresh herbs for this recipe, but you can use dried instead. Use ½ teaspoon each of dried thyme and sage, or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning.
- Ricotta cheese: You can also substitute for cottage cheese.
- Pasta shells: You’ll have enough filling for 23-25 shells, in case a few tear while cooking.
- Skillet and baking dish requirements: I used a enameled cast iron 3.5 quart “braiser” pot to prepared the kale and sauce on the stovetop, and then bake the shells in the oven. Any wide and deep oven-proof skillet will work the same. Otherwise, you’ll need both a deep skillet and a 4-quart casserole dish.
Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1195mg, Potassium: 549mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 11963IU, Vitamin C: 36mg, Calcium: 425mg, Iron: 2mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
Recipe note: The recipe I originally developed in 2014 included roasting the butternut squash in the oven to soften before blending into a sauce. However, this version that preps the sauce on the stove is so much easier and less fussy. I’ve made a few other easy swaps too. This 2026 recipe is better than ever, you’re going to love it!
I made this recipe last night and its absolutely a keeper! I love the new recipe format with the ingredient lists at the top and imbedded within the instructions for easy reference. The ingredient flavors pair so beautifully together and I love that I have an extra batch of butternut squash sauce to use soon. I also like that there is plenty of room to substitute with other ingredients. Leftovers were perfect for lunch today! HIGHLY RECOMMEND
When I retested this recipe, I was reminded why I created it in the first place (that sauce!!). It’s such a great baked pasta dish. And I’ve made lots of little changes, and a few big ones, to make this recipe easier for any cook to make any night of the week. You have to try these stuffed shells with butternut squash sauce!
5 stars for the recipe as is (but if you get a butternut squash that hasn’t cured long enough and isn’t as sweet, or you don’t roast it well enough, this recipe will not be very good— that natural sweetness is so important for this recipe to shine!).
Tonight I wanted to shortcut this (due to the time involved and number of things that would be required to wash) so I improvised a new recipe. I made the ricotta, parm, egg, garlic, and kale mixture exactly as called for while I preheated the oven. Then I sprayed a small glass dish (about 7.5” b 11”) with Pam, did a layer of butternut squash ravioli from Costco, then the ricotta mixture, and then topped it with the remaining ravioli in a single layer. I topped each ravioli on the top with a pat of sweet cream butter to keep it from drying (as I did not boil the pasta beforehand). Then I baked it (covered then uncovered). Was it close to the original? No. But did it work as a quicker substitute that got the job done and made my toddlers and hubby happy? Yes! 🙂