āVEGAN STUFFED SHELLS WITH ROASTED EGGPLANTā
āINGREDIENTSā
ā¢15 jumbo shells (gluten-free for GF eaters)
ā¢1 tsp olive oil
ā¢3/4 (~1 1/4 cup) block firm tofu, slightly patted dry
ā¢1 1/2 Tbsp vegan basil pesto (shouldnāt contain cheese)
ā¢Pinch sea salt
ā¢1/2 cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese shreds, such as (Go Veggie or Daiya)*
ā¢1/2 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
ā¢1 1/2 cups favorite marinara sauce
āPREPARATIONā
āFOR THE EGGPLANTā
Sprinkle eggplant rounds with sea salt and place in a colander over the sink to let drain. After 10 minutes rinse lightly and then pat dry. Slice into quarters, place on a cookie sheet and toss in olive oil and sea salt. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until slightly browned and softened, tossing once or twice to ensure even roasting. Set aside.
ā¢Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and add shells and a pinch of sea salt. Stir once and cook according to package instructions. Also, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
ā¢While the shells are cooking, add tofu to a food processor and pulse a couple times to break it up. Then add pesto, a healthy pinch of sea salt, dairy-free mozzarella shreds and mix until just combined. Taste a little and see if you need more salt or pesto. Then stir in roasted eggplant.
ā¢Once the shells are done, drain and let cool slightly. Pour 1/2 cup red sauce in the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron or 8Ć8 pan, then stuff shells with generous spoonfuls of filling.
ā¢Arrange shells split side up in the pan and then top with remaining tomato sauce ā they should be covered but not drowning. Bake for 35 minutes or until warm and bubbly. Serve immediately. These go great with Caesar salad, steamed broccoli and/or garlic bread.
āNOTESā
*If youāre not a fan of dairy-free ācheese,ā simply leave it out and sub it with more eggplant or tofu.
*If not vegan, you can add an egg for extra binding while breaking down the tofu in food processor. This is not necessary though.
āINFORMATION SOURCESā
https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-stuffed-shells-with-roasted-eggplant/
