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This Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells is for nights when you’re craving Italian, but you’re also craving fall flavors. Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a basil pesto and ricotta cheese mixture. Then baked in a spicy pumpkin vodka sauce that’s creamy and so delicious! This is a great fall pasta to serve any night of the week, or for your next Saturday night dinner party.
Can you guys tell that I’ve entered full on comfort food mode over here?
I know it’s only October and all, but with our major snowfall this week (if you follow on Instagram you saw all the photos) I really cannot stop these comfort food cravings. When it’s cold all I want to make is butternut squash pasta, homemade curries, noodle soup, and homemade pumpkin butter.
So, all the best fall food.
I have to say, even though I think it’s WAY too early for snow, I’m loving the coziness it brings. As well as the excuse to stay warm inside all day. I swear the chill in the air, and the snow on the ground, makes cooking even more enjoyable for me. Which is nice considering that I’ve been spending almost all my time in the kitchen lately.
But then I do kind of miss the fall leaves…
Anyway, moving on to this pasta.
I was inspired to create these pumpkin ricotta stuffed shells after making this pasta last year and loving it so. This is kind of the fall version of that pasta dish, and as you can guess, it’s a new go-to for me.
This easy recipe uses a lot of pantry staple ingredients. And while it does take some time, it’s still very easy to make and comes together in just about an hour.
The details.
To start, make the spicy pumpkin vodka sauce. This is just a mix of spicy ground chicken sausage, pumpkin puree, vodka, and spices. I love using chicken sausage as it adds so much flavor. It also means you don’t have to add extra ingredients like onions and garlic to the sauce. One note, I prefer using lean chicken over pork sausage, which can be a little too greasy sometimes.
While the sauce simmers, make the stuffed shells. These are the almost too good…fresh ricotta, fontina cheese, and basil pesto, all stuffed into a pasta shell? Nothing not to love here.
Snuggle the cheese stuffed shells right into the spicy pumpkin vodka sauce, then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until the pasta is golden and the cheese has melted.
Hello to cheesy, pumpkiny pasta perfection.
This is one of the best dishes to come out of my kitchen as of late, and that’s saying A LOT since I’ve been cooking A LOT.
I know it may seem a little odd to use pumpkin in such a savory way, but go with me on this one. It lends a creamy texture to the sauce while providing a hint of both sweetness and autumn flavors.
Just give it try. I know you guys will all love it!
Watch the How To Video:
If you make this pumpkin and pesto cheese stuffed shells please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spicy Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 1388 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pound jumbo shells
- 16 ounces (about 2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
- 3/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or store bought
- 8 ounces mozzarella, torn
- fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or dish of similar size.2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the bell pepper, pumpkin, vodka, milk, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and boil the pasta until al dente according to package directions.4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, fontina, and 1/2 cup pesto. 5. To assemble, spoon 3/4 of the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Working with one pasta shell at a time, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each shell, placing the filled shell into the baking dish as you go. Spoon the remaining pumpkin sauce over top of the shells and then drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup pesto evenly over everything. Add the mozzarella. 6. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned on top. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you’d like to make this vegetarian, no problem, just omit the chicken sausage and use a little more crushed red pepper flakes for heat, if you’d like.
*To make the pasta ahead, just do everything up until the final baking, cool, and store in the fridge until ready to serve!
This post was originally published on October 10, 2018
I made this delicious dish last night!! My vodka sauce was a bit limited to fill all the shells, and yet throw some on top of the shells, so I had some leftover marinara and spooned that on top, followed by the cheese mixture, etc. It was perfect.
Thank you so much Jane!
I’ve been dreaming about this for days and given the gloomy rainy UK weather on my end, think I finally have the perfect excuse to make it! I like the idea of using a ground meat to give texture to the pumpkin sauce – would using diced mushrooms instead of a veggie mince be too strong a flavour, do you think?
Thanks!
HI! I think mushrooms would be delicious. Great idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
After a helluva week…dealing with Hurricane Michael…when I saw this recipe Wednesday morning I so needed comfort! We had evacuated and tonight am back home, no damage but in serious need of comfort. It’s decadent but comfort usually is!!! I did use mild Italian sausage instead of chicken sausage. I cut the recipe in half and should’ve added some pasta water to my sauce as I thickened it a little too much. BUT, it was delish!!!! Oh I had butternut squash puree in freezer so used it instead of pumpkin. Thank you !
Hi Karen! I am so glad you are safe and doing well! I am so glad you loved this and could bring you some comfort on your first night home! Thank you!
I love stuffed shells and this recipe looks so cozy and perfect!
Thank you! I hope you love this!
The sauce is soooo good. Next time I want more sauce and less cheese and definitely don’t need the mozzarella on top. I only used 4 oz on top.
Thank you so much Kyann!
I live in a small City and I’ve called every meat store and grocery store in town asking if they sell Ground Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage…. and nobody does. I’ve never even heard of that before. Can I simply use regular ground chicken and add some type of spice to compensate? Which spices would you suggest? This looks amazing.
Thanks!
HI! Yes, ground chicken with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne will be just great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I am all about using pumpkin for savory dishes. This is just an amazing recipe! I can’t believe it’s snowing already! I live in southern California and we don’t get anything in the way of snow. Sometimes I wish we did for the exact reasons you stated!
Thank you so much Danielle!
Looks amazing! What can I sub vodka for? Any suggestions? Would prefer no alcohol, thanks!
Hi! I recommend using water! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
This is incredible. I wouldn’t have thought to put classic Italian flavors with pumpkin like this but it really works. I may have overstuffed each of the shells because I didn’t get through nearly a pound of pasta, but it turned out amazing so I can’t be mad at a few leftover shells. This will go into rotation this winter for sure. 🙂
Thank you so much Anna! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
Ok so I made this and omg. The fontina, ricotta and pesto filling was the real star. I was hesitant not having any tomato in the vodka sauce, however it all worked together. The pumpkin flavor is very subtle. I think next time I’ll cut out the extra mozzarella on top. It truly is an ooey gooey cheese overload, but worth the splurge. I’ll definitely utilize the shell stuffing with other sauces moving forward.
Thank you so much Natalie! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
Oh gosh, I love Italian food, but this is taking it to another level. I have been daydreaming about this recipe since I have seen it in the mail a couple of hours ago. Pure italian / autumn perfection. Yum!
Thank you so much Maja!
Oh my days this looks delicious!!
Rebecca | http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Thank you so much Rebecca!
If I omit the sausage, then would onion and garlic compensate for those flavors? Making for my daughter for dinner and lunch leftovers for school. It’s cross country season and she needs the carbs!
Hey Dana! Yes, onion and garlic will surely make up for the flavors. That will be delicious!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
This looks freaking amazing! That pumpkin vodka sauce sounds like something I could very much get in to. So cozy fall 🙂 xo
Right?! I am so glad you like this recipe and hope you try it! Thank you Kelsey!
kind of perfect, this dish
Thank you so much Ruth!