Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells Recipe from Love and Lemons.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cubed butternut squash
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 16 jumbo shells

Cashew Cream

• 1½ cups raw cashews*, see note
• 1 cup fresh water
• 1 garlic clove
• 3½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

filling

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup crumbled firm tofu
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup cashew cream, from the recipe above
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the butternut squash with olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Make the cashew cream: Blend the drained raw cashews, water, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Make the filling: In a medium skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach along with a pinch of salt, and sauté until all the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Squeeze out any excess liquid and chop. 
5. In a bowl, combine the spinach, crumbled tofu, oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground black pepper, and 1 cup of the cashew cream.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
7. Drain the shells and spread ¼ cup of the reserved cashew cream on the bottom of an 11×7-inch baking dish.
8. Arrange the shells into the baking dish and fill each cooked shell with some of the filling and a few cubes of butternut squash.
9. Drizzle a little olive oil over the shells, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven and serve with the remaining cashew cream.