Canada / Canada's food guide
Tofu and butternut squash pasta shells
This hearty pasta dish uses cashews to create a creamy and delicious sauce.
Ingredients
- unsalted cashews375 mL (1 ½ cup)
- water750 mL (3 cups)
- vegetable oil22 mL (1 ½ tbsp)
- onion, diced1
- garlic, minced2 cloves
- frozen butternut squash cubes1 L (4 cups)
- spinach750 mL (3 cups)
- salt5 mL (1 tsp)
- black pepper1 mL (¼ tsp)
- firm tofu, crumbled1 package (400 g)
- lemon, zest and juice1
- dried oregano7 mL (1 ½ tsp)
- red chili flakes1 mL (¼ tsp)
- whole wheat jumbo pasta shells1 package (340 g)
- lower fat shredded mozzarella cheese125 mL (½ cup)
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 9 steps
Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Place cashews in a microwave safe dish and add 500 mL (2 cups) water. Microwave for 2 minutes and set aside.
In a large pan, heat 15 mL (1 tbsp) oil on medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened. Add butternut squash, spinach, salt and black pepper. Stir and reduce to low heat. Continue cooking until squash is tender and cooked through.
Remove ⅓ of the butternut squash and place in blender along with soaked cashews and its soaking water. Set aside to cool.
For the filling, crumble tofu into pan with remaining squash. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and chili flakes. Mix together and set aside to cool.
Once cashews have cooled, blend until smooth to create a cream sauce. Adjust consistency with more water if necessary.
Cook shells according to package directions and add 7 mL (½ tbsp) oil to the water to prevent shells from sticking together.
Spread a thin layer of cashew sauce on the bottom of a large oven safe casserole dish. Stuff each shell with 15 mL (1 tbsp) of the butternut squash mixture and tightly pack into dish.
Pour the remaining cream sauce over shells and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese has melted.
