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
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