Description
Delicious Pumpkin Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells featuring savory ground chicken sausage, creamy ricotta and fontina cheeses, and a flavorful pumpkin and vodka sauce, baked to golden perfection and topped with fresh basil.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Filling
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound ground chicken sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta and Cheese Mixture
- 1 pound jumbo shells
- 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
- 3/4 cup basil pesto (divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup)
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
For Serving
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish; set it aside to prepare the stuffed shells.
- Make Pumpkin Sauce: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken sausage and cook until browned. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the chopped red bell pepper, pumpkin puree, vodka, whole milk, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.
- Cook Pasta Shells: While the sauce is simmering, cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly before filling.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the whole milk ricotta cheese, shredded fontina cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil pesto. Mix well until fully incorporated.
- Assemble Shells: Spoon three-quarters of the pumpkin sauce evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Working with one shell at a time, fill each jumbo shell with about one tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Arrange the filled shells in the baking dish over the sauce in a single layer.
- Add Remaining Sauce and Cheese: Spoon the remaining pumpkin sauce over the stuffed shells, then drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of basil pesto evenly on top. Finally, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over everything.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve warm and enjoy your flavorful pumpkin pesto cheese stuffed shells!
Notes
- Use whole milk ricotta for creaminess; part-skim can be substituted for lower fat.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken sausage with a plant-based sausage or omit it.
- If you don’t have basil pesto, you can make a quick pesto using fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
- Ensure pasta shells are cooked al dente to prevent them from getting mushy after baking.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes slightly.
- Allow the stuffed shells to rest for 5 minutes after baking to settle before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
