These saucy stuffed shells are satisfying, even without the cheese

“What did you put in the ricotta?” Ann Maloney asked me.

We were at a holiday party for the Food team at my house, and Ann – the Post’s recipes editor at the time – was raving about a dish of baked stuffed shells I had made. In our years of working together, Ann and I got to know not just each other’s cooking style, but our communication style, too. So my response was nonverbal: a raised eyebrow, a sly grin and a shake of the head.

She got the message. “No ricotta? It’s not vegan!” she exclaimed.

“It is!” I replied.

Her reaction was everything I had hoped for: As an Italian American and (obviously) an accomplished cook, she is someone whose opinion I value highly, particularly on this subject and this cuisine. To have a red gravy queen think not just that the dish was cheesy, but that it was delicious? Perfect.

Years ago, my friend (and author and public-television star) Pati Jinich, a Mexico native, asked her husband and teenage boys to try a chorizo I had fried up in a skillet in her kitchen. She told them, “It’s made with …”

“All sorts of spices,” I interrupted. Only after they devoured it did they learn that it was tofu, not pork.

It can be a thrill when it happens, but the truth is, my goal with plant-based cooking isn’t usually to fool anybody. In fact, I tend to cringe at those headlines that say the results of a recipe are “so good, you won’t miss the meat!” I figure, what does the meat have to do with it? I’d rather people love a vegetable-focused dish because the vegetables themselves are so good.

But some favorites – like these baked stuffed shells – aren’t all that focused on vegetables anyway. It’s pasta and cheese and tomato sauce, a stick-to-your ribs plate of comfort, so it’s perfectly suited for a little vegan mimicry.

Philadelphia food writer and recipe developer Joy Manning has been eating and making the Italian American classic for as long as she can remember. Since she switched to a plant-based diet several years ago, she has filled jumbo pasta shells with store-bought vegan ricotta – but more often makes a concoction with raw cashews and artichoke hearts. And for her, it’s a holiday lifesaver, because she can bring it to Christmas dinner at her mother’s house, where it fits in with the rest of her family’s food, and no one complains about it being vegan because they can’t tell the difference.

I worked with Joy on the recipe for my latest cookbook, “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking,” and as soon as I tested it, I knew I’d return to it again and again. It’s not traditionally covered with a carpet of melty mozzarella, so the cashews and artichoke hearts (helped along by lemon zest, vinegar, nutritional yeast and more) easily create something creamy and delectable that’s right at home when piped (or spooned) into shells nestled in a good marinara.

There’s an exception to every rule, so I’m just going to say the following, without apology and without cringing: These are so good, you won’t miss the cheese.

Vegan Baked Stuffed Shells

Adapted from a recipe by Joy Manning and Joe Yonan in “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, 2024).

This vegan take on an Italian American classic fills the pasta shells with a savory, slightly tangy concoction made with jarred artichokes and cashews. It’s is a great option for dinner any night of the week, or for potlucks, dinner parties or as a gift for a friend who needs some comfort food. Make sure to look for shells labeled jumbo, not large.

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

6 ounces jumbo pasta shells

2 cups (8½ ounces) raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk or any other plant-based milk

1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar

1½ tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole

¾ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from ½ lemon)

½ teaspoon onion powder

Scant 1½ cups chopped canned or jarred artichoke hearts (from one 12-ounce or larger can or jar, packed in oil or water), drained

3 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce (see related recipe)

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for two minutes less than the package directions indicate for al dente. Drain, then spread on a large sheet pan until cool enough to handle.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the cashew ricotta. In a food processor, combine the soaked cashews, milk, vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon zest, onion powder and salt. Puree until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use your hands to squeeze the extra liquid out of the artichoke hearts, transfer to the food processor and pulse until incorporated, about five pulses. You should have about 3 cups of cashew ricotta. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Pour half of the marinara on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (preferably one with an oven-safe lid). Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cashew ricotta mixture. (If you have a pastry bag, it can make the job easier. If not, use a small spoon.) Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce, with the cashew ricotta facing up. Pour the rest of the sauce onto and around the stuffed shells, leaving some of the cashew ricotta mixture exposed.

Cover (use aluminum foil if you don’t have a lid) and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbling, and the pasta is tender. Let sit for a few minutes, then top with the chopped parsley and serve warm.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Make ahead: The cashews need to be soaked overnight before making the dish. The dish can be assembled, covered and refrigerated up to two days in advance. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour before baking.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to four days.

Substitutions: Cashews for blanched or slivered almonds. White wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar.