Spicy Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells
This cozy fall dish features jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy ricotta, fontina, and pesto cheese blend, then smothered in a spicy pumpkin sauce.
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Servings: 8
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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 chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound jumbo pasta 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 cheese, torn
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or a similar-sized dish.
- Prepare the spicy pumpkin sauce:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Once hot, add the ground chicken sausage. Cook for 5-8 minutes, browning the sausage on all sides.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped red bell pepper, pumpkin puree, chicken broth, milk, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, or until it thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Cook the pasta:
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo pasta shells until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the cheese mixture:
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, shredded fontina cheese, and 1/2 cup of pesto.
- Assemble the stuffed shells:
- Spoon 3/4 of the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- One at a time, stuff each pasta shell with about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells in the dish as you go.
- Pour the remaining pumpkin sauce over the shells and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of pesto over everything. Top with torn mozzarella cheese.
- Bake:
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top.
- Let the dish cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
- For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken sausage and increase the crushed red pepper flakes for more heat if desired.
- If you'd like to prepare the dish in advance, complete all steps up until the final baking. Let it cool, then refrigerate until you're ready to bake and serve.