Stuffed Shells With Pumpkin Cream Sauce Recipe
This delightful recipe features jumbo pasta shells generously stuffed with a creamy pumpkin and cream cheese mixture, baked in a rich pumpkin cream sauce infused with garlic, Parmesan, and warm nutmeg. Perfect as a comforting vegetarian main dish during the fall season, it balances velvety textures with savory flavors for a satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Shells
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pumpkin Cream Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, half of the grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Stuff the shells: Carefully fill each cooked jumbo pasta shell with a generous amount of the pumpkin cream cheese mixture, making sure they are well stuffed but not overfilled to avoid bursting during baking.
- Make the pumpkin cream sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, gently warm the heavy cream. Stir in the nutmeg and cook until the sauce is hot and fragrant, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the dish: Lightly grease a baking dish. Spread half of the pumpkin cream sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange the stuffed shells on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the shells. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- You can add spinach or sautéed mushrooms to the filling for extra flavor and texture.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan for the best flavor.
- Let the shells cool slightly before stuffing to prevent them from breaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 stuffed shells with sauce
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: stuffed shells, pumpkin puree, pumpkin cream sauce, vegetarian pasta, fall recipes, Italian pasta bake
