We as a species love things that are stuffed! I don’t know what it is about a thing filled with other things that really excites us! Think stuffed crust, stuffed mushrooms, stuffed peppers, et cetera.
These stuffed shells are a perfect combination of comforting fall and winter flavors: Sweet, nutty butternut squash, bitter kale, herbaceous sage and spicy sausage, filled and topped with gooey and salty cheeses and baked until browned and bubbly!
Here’s what you need:
Equipment:
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Parchment paper
- Food processor or Immersion Blender
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Baking Dish
This recipe can be broken up into 3 step:
- Making the butternut squash sauce
- Making the ricotta/sausage filling
- Cooking and filling the shells and baking
There is a good amount of elements that need to be cooked and assembled, so breaking it up into these three main steps makes the process less overwhelming!
Also, most of this can be done in advance. So if you are like me and like making things as easy and stress-free for yourself, you will love how most of this dish can be done a day or two ahead of time!
I like to start with the thing that takes the most time.
In this case, that would be making the butternut squash cream sauce. The squash needs to roast for about 45 minutes, then needs to cool enough to be handled.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the squash vertically, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Brush the inside flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them, flesh-side down, on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until totally fork-tender.
Once the squash has cooled, scoop out the flesh and purée it in a food processor or with an immersion blender. At this point, you can move directly onto making the sauce, or place the purée in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days in advance.
Finish making the cream sauce.
Dump the squash purée in a saucepan with 1 cup of heavy cream, a good pinch of salt and a small pinch of nutmeg. Stir to combine. Simmer the sauce on medium heat for about 8 minutes, until thick and slightly reduced. Set aside while you make the filling or refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 days.
Make the sausage and kale filling.
Heat a large skillet over medium. Sauté the shallot, garlic and sage in a little olive oil and a pinch of salt for a couple minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break it up as it browns. Next, add the kale with a bit more salt. Sauté for a couple more minutes until the kale has wilted slightly. Turn off the heat and allow the filling to cool before adding it to the cheeses.
Mix the sausage and kale with the ricotta and parmesan.
In a big mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the cooled sausage mixture. The filling can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated until needed.
Stuff the shells.
Cook pasta shells in a large pot of salty water. Drain and let them cool enough to be handled.
Pour about a half cup of the sauce in a baking dish or large cast iron skillet. Scoop heaping spoonfuls of the ricotta/sausage filling and stuff it into the individual shells, pressing it in with the back of the spoon. The shells should be completely full but not overflowing. Arrange the filled shells over the sauce.
Spoon or pour the remaining sauce over the shells, then top with shredded mozzarella. Bake right away or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. If you do this step in advance, then before you bake, bring the dish out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter for about an hour. This will ensure the filling isn’t still cold when the mozzarella has browned.
Bake until the mozzarella is browned and bubbly!
This should take 15 to 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
(Optional) drizzle with balsamic glaze.
I think most things taste best drizzled with thick, tangy balsamic glaze! This dish especially shines when topped with it. The sharp acidity cuts through the richness of the stuffed shells.
To make balsamic glaze, reduce 1 cup of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat until it measures 1/4 cup. This can take 20 to even up to 30 minutes. I just kept reducing on a back burner while I complete the other steps. Let it cool a little before using to thicken it up.
I like to serve it on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they want to their pasta!
Other recipes to try:
Butternut Squash and Sausage Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 butternut squash around 2 1/2 pounds
- 1 cup heavy cream
- pinch nutmeg
- kosher salt
- 10 ounces jumbo shells
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 2 cups fresh kale chopped
- 2 cups ricotta
- 1 cup Parmesan grated
- 1 egg
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)
Instructions
Make the butternut squash sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice a whole butternut squash in half length-wise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Brush the inside flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 40-50 minutes, flesh side down, until completely fork tender. Allow to cool before handling.Scoop out the roasted squash from the skins and purée in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender. Dump the purée into a medium saucepan with heavy cream and a pinch of both salt and nutmeg. Simmer for about 8 minutes, until it is thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside.
Make the filling.
- In a large skillet, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil on medium, then brown the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Add the shallot and garlic and sage and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the kale and a pinch of salt and continue to sauté until it has wilted slightly, about another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the cooled sausage mixture.
Assemble the shells.
- While cooking the sauce and filling, boil a large pot of salty water, then add the shells. Cook them for as long as specified on the box. Drain and set aside until ready to assemble. In a large skillet or baking dish. Pour in about a half cup of the butternut squash sauce. Use a spoon to scoop the ricotta filling into each of the shells. They should be full but not completely overflowing. Arrange them in the pan on top of the sauce. Once all the shells are stuffed and in the pan, spoon the remaining sauce over all of the shells. Top them with the shredded mozzarella. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Optional balsamic glaze.
- While you are making the stuffed shells, the balsamic can be reducing on a back burner. Pour 1 cup of balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan. Heat on medium until it reduces to 1/2 cup, which can take up to 20 minutes. Allow to cool and thicken. Drizzle the glaze over the stuffed shells when serving.