Spicy Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells with sausage, kale, and up to date sage. The final phrase fall stuffed shells recipe that’s glorious for trip web internet hosting or make-ahead meals.
Within the occasion you’re a fan of my Ricotta Stuffed Shellsyou will fully love this autumn-inspired mannequin.
The whipped feta filling is rich and creamy with a slight tang to stability the earthy pumpkin and rustic sage.
The shells sit in a creamy pumpkin sauce with flooring sausage, kale, garlic, and chiles for the final phrase comfort dinner.
It’s no secret I actually like using pumpkin in savory recipes – ahem, Sage Turkey Meatballs with Pumpkin Orzo, Black Bean Pumpkin Tacosand Pumpkin Purple Lentil Soup.
It’s such a great way to sneak in nutritional vitamins (pumpkin is a superb provide of dietary nutritional vitamins A and C) and add creaminess to sauces and soups.
In these fall stuffed shells, pumpkin helps create a lusciously creamy, vibrant sauce that is merely SO satisfying this time of yr.
Why You’ll Love these Feta Stuffed Shells
- Makes a Massive Batch. This stuffed shells recipe serves 5 to 6 adults, nonetheless in case you’ve purchased youthful kids in any other case you serve the shells with a facet dish (ideas below!), you can merely get 8 servings out of 1 pan.
- Freezer-Nice. Not solely are leftovers merely as delicious, that’s moreover a tremendous meal to make ahead and freeze for yet another day.
- Extreme Protein. Between the sausage and Greek yogurt throughout the filling, these feta stuffed shells are great satiating.
One of the best ways to Make Stuffed Shells
Whereas stuffed shells do require some legwork with regards to prep, the payoff is ALWAYS worth it.
Plus, many of the elements will likely be made ahead to help streamline the tactic.
So in case you’re love language begins with cheese and ends with carbs, roll up your sleeves and let’s get to enterprise.
The Substances
- Feta: Possibly a wildcard cheese on the planet of stuffed shells, nonetheless perception me, it actually works!
- Greek Yogurt: Lusciously creamy and an excellent provide of vitamin D, calcium, and protein.
- Honey: To stability the tang of the feta and Greek yogurt.
- Jumbo Shells: I prefer to suggest boiling just some additional merely in case some tear.
- Sausage: You must use delicate OR spicy pork, hen, or turkey sausage on this recipe.
- Onion + Garlic: To create an aromatic foundation for the sauce.
- Kale: I counsel using lacinato kale and finely chopping it so it melds into the sauce. Kale is a superb provide of dietary nutritional vitamins A, C, and Okay.
- Chiles: Crushed purple pepper flakes or my non-public favorite, Calabrian chilesadd a little bit of spice to lift the sauce. (Within the occasion you’re spice antagonistic, be glad to omit!)
- Pumpkin Puree: This have to be pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling). I want Libby’s mannequin, which is persistently delicious.
- Half-and-Half: In order so as to add creaminess to the sauce.
- Sage: I actually just like the earthy, rustic style of sage paired with pumpkin. Alternatively, you need to make the most of latest rosemary.
For a whole document of recipe substances and partssee the recipe card below.
The Directions
Step 1: Make the filling:
To a meals processor, combine feta, Greek yogurt, honey, olive oil, and a few grinds of cracked black pepper. Combine on HIGH until straightforward and creamy, about 90 seconds.
Within the meantime, boil the shells until merely shy of al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse beneath chilly water to relax.
Recipe Tip
I counsel boiling additional shells than you need, which is insurance coverage protection in case any rip (very extra more likely to happen!). You can reserve extras for yet another use.
Step 2: Put collectively Sauce by sautéing onion until comfy, about 6 minutes. Crumble sausage into pan and put together dinner until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 3: Add kale, garlic, sage, and chiles; put together dinner for 2 additional minutes.
Step 4: Add Pumpkin, Broth, and Half-and-Half.
Step 5: Simmer until thickened, and swap half of the sausage-pumpkin sauce to a bowl.
Step 6: Fill the Shells with feta mixture and manage in pan. Spoon reserved sausage-pumpkin sauce overtop.
Step 7: Bake Shells until scorching and bubbly.
Serving Methods
While you’ll be able to fully serve these feta stuffed shells on their very personal, they do pair successfully with salads and veggies. Listed beneath are just some options:
Recipe Options and Strategies
- Cease the Shells from Sticking and Tearing.
- Boil the shells throughout the largest pot of salted water you possibly can have. Giving them additional space to arrange dinner can help cut back the prospect of sticking and tearing.
- After draining and rinsing the shells beneath chilly water, swap them to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. This can even help forestall them from sticking collectively.
- Don’t Over Stuff. I stick with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese filling per shell. This creates the proper ratio of cheese filling to pasta and sauce.
- Broil For a Browned Finish. Within the occasion you want the perimeters of the pasta shells a little bit of bit crisp, broil the shells for 1 to 2 minutes on the end of cooking.
One of the best ways to Make-Ahead and Retailer
- Make-Ahead. You can boil the pasta shells 1 day prematurely. Toss in a little bit of olive oil to forestall sticking and tearing, and place on a giant rimmed baking sheet. Cowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until in a position to fill.
- It is also attainable to place collectively the feta filling 1 to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to utilize.
- Retailer. Refrigerate leftover shells in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat. These shells are most interesting reheated throughout the oven. I counsel baking them, lined, at 350ºF for about quarter-hour. Uncover and bake for an extra 5 minutes. It is also attainable to microwave explicit individual elements in a pinch.
- Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for as a lot as 3 months. Thaw in a single day throughout the fridge sooner than reheating in accordance with the instructions above.
Additional Fall Pasta Recipes
Within the occasion you give these feta stuffed shells a attempt, snap a picture and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram. Moreover, observe alongside on Fb and Pinterest for the most recent recipe updates.
Meals processor
Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
Large oven-safe sauté pan, skillet, or braiser
Preheat oven to 375 ranges F. Convey a giant pot of salted water to a boil.
Put collectively Feta Filling: To a meals processor, combine feta, Greek yogurt, honey, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine on HIGH until straightforward and creamy, about 90 seconds. Put apart.
Add the shells to the boiling water and put together dinner until merely shy of al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse beneath chilly water to relax. (You may have cooked off additional shells than will match throughout the dish; that’s insurance coverage protection in case any rip. Reserve extras for yet another use.)
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a giant oven-safe skillet or sauté pan over medium. Add onion and put together dinner until comfy, about 6 minutes. Crumble sausage into pan and put together dinner until starting to brown, stirring generally, 5 to 7 minutes.Stir in kale, garlic, sage, and Calabrian chiles (or purple pepper flakes); put together dinner one different 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, broth, and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper to type. Convey mixture to a simmer, and put together dinner until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Flip off heat and swap half of the sausage-pumpkin sauce to a bowl.
- Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of whipped feta filling into each of the shells (you will need to have the flexibility to fill 22 to 24 shells), lining up the stuffed shells over the remaining sausage-pumpkin sauce throughout the pan as you go. (Phrase: in case your pan simply is not oven-safe, use a casserole dish instead.)Spoon the reserved sausage-pumpkin sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with additional crumbled feta cheese, if desired.Bake, uncovered, for 17 to twenty minutes, until the sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.
- Make-Ahead. You can boil the pasta shells 1 day prematurely. Toss in a little bit of olive oil to forestall sticking and tearing, and place on a giant rimmed baking sheet. Cowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until in a position to fill.
- It is also attainable to place collectively the whipped feta filling 1 to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to utilize.
- Retailer. Refrigerate leftover feta stuffed shells in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat. These shells are most interesting reheated throughout the oven. I counsel baking them, lined, at 350ºF for about quarter-hour. Uncover and bake for an extra 5 minutes. It is also attainable to microwave explicit individual elements in a pinch.
- Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for as a lot as 3 months. Thaw in a single day throughout the fridge sooner than reheating in accordance with the instructions above.
Serving: 4shells with sauce | Vitality: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 901mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g
I calculate these values by hand to verify accuracy, nonetheless depend on as a lot as a ten% variable counting on meals producers.
Footage by Meg McKeehan