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Spicy Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells with sausage, kale, and fresh sage. The ultimate fall stuffed shells recipe that’s perfect for holiday hosting or make-ahead meals.
Table of Contents
If you’re a fan of my Ricotta Stuffed Shells, you will absolutely love this autumn-inspired version.
The whipped feta filling is rich and creamy with a slight tang to balance the earthy pumpkin and rustic sage.
The shells sit in a creamy pumpkin sauce with ground sausage, kale, garlic, and chiles for the ultimate comfort dinner.
It’s no secret I love using pumpkin in savory recipes – ahem, Sage Turkey Meatballs with Pumpkin Orzo, Black Bean Pumpkin Tacos, and Pumpkin Red Lentil Soup.
It’s such a great way to sneak in nutrients (pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C) and add creaminess to sauces and soups.
In these fall stuffed shells, pumpkin helps create a lusciously creamy, vibrant sauce that is just SO satisfying this time of year.
Why You’ll Love these Feta Stuffed Shells
- Makes a Big Batch. This stuffed shells recipe serves 5 to 6 adults, but if you’ve got young kids or you serve the shells with a side dish (ideas below!), you can easily get 8 servings out of one pan.
- Freezer-Friendly. Not only are leftovers just as delicious, this is also a great meal to make ahead and freeze for another day.
- High Protein. Between the sausage and Greek yogurt in the filling, these feta stuffed shells are super satiating.
How to Make Stuffed Shells
While stuffed shells do require some legwork in terms of prep, the payoff is ALWAYS worth it.
Plus, many of the components can be made ahead to help streamline the process.
So if you’re love language starts with cheese and ends with carbs, roll up your sleeves and let’s get to business.
The Ingredients
- Feta: Perhaps a wildcard cheese in the world of stuffed shells, however trust me, it works!
- Greek Yogurt: Lusciously creamy and an excellent source of vitamin D, calcium, and protein.
- Honey: To balance the tang of the feta and Greek yogurt.
- Jumbo Shells: I recommend boiling a few extra just in case some tear.
- Sausage: You can use mild OR spicy pork, chicken, or turkey sausage in this recipe.
- Onion + Garlic: To create an aromatic foundation for the sauce.
- Kale: I suggest using lacinato kale and finely chopping it so it melds into the sauce. Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K.
- Chiles: Crushed red pepper flakes or my personal favorite, Calabrian chiles, add a little spice to elevate the sauce. (If you’re spice adverse, feel free to omit!)
- Pumpkin Puree: This should be pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling). I prefer Libby’s brand, which is consistently delicious.
- Half-and-Half: To add creaminess to the sauce.
- Sage: I love the earthy, rustic flavor of sage paired with pumpkin. Alternatively, you can use fresh rosemary.
For a complete list of recipe ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
The Directions
Step 1: Make the filling:
To a food processor, combine feta, Greek yogurt, honey, olive oil, and a few grinds of cracked black pepper. Blend on HIGH until smooth and creamy, about 90 seconds.
Meanwhile, boil the shells until just shy of al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool.
Recipe Tip
I suggest boiling more shells than you need, which is insurance in case any rip (very likely to happen!). You can reserve extras for another use.
Step 2: Prepare Sauce by sautéing onion until soft, about 6 minutes. Crumble sausage into pan and cook until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 3: Add kale, garlic, sage, and chiles; cook for 2 more minutes.
Step 4: Add Pumpkin, Broth, and Half-and-Half.
Step 5: Simmer until thickened, and transfer half of the sausage-pumpkin sauce to a bowl.
Step 6: Fill the Shells with feta mixture and arrange in pan. Spoon reserved sausage-pumpkin sauce overtop.
Step 7: Bake Shells until hot and bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
While you can absolutely serve these feta stuffed shells on their own, they do pair well with salads and veggies. Here are a few suggestions:
- Brussels Salad. For a lighter pairing, serve the shells with this fresh Brussels Salad with pear and pecans.
- Sautéed Broccoli. For a simple veggie side, you can’t beat my Sautéed Broccoli Recipe.
- Chopped Salad. This Winter Chopped Salad is always a show-stopper.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prevent the Shells from Sticking and Tearing.
- Boil the shells in the largest pot of salted water you have. Giving them extra space to cook can help minimize the chance of sticking and tearing.
- After draining and rinsing the shells under cold water, transfer them to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. This will also help prevent them from sticking together.
- Don’t Over Stuff. I stick to about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese filling per shell. This creates the ideal ratio of cheese filling to pasta and sauce.
- Broil For a Browned Finish. If you like the edges of the pasta shells a little bit crisp, broil the shells for 1 to 2 minutes at the end of cooking.
How to Make-Ahead and Store
- Make-Ahead. You can boil the pasta shells 1 day in advance. Toss in a little olive oil to prevent sticking and tearing, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill.
- You can also prepare the feta filling 1 to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Store. Refrigerate leftover shells in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat. These shells are best reheated in the oven. I suggest baking them, covered, at 350ºF for about 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions in a pinch.
- Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
More Fall Pasta Recipes
Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce
Pumpkin alla Vodka Pasta
Vegetable Pasta Bake
Pesto Stuffed Shells with Vodka Sauce
If you give these feta stuffed shells a try, snap a picture and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates.
Spicy Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
- Large oven-safe sauté pan, skillet, or braiser
Ingredients
- 10 oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 2/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 (12-oz.) box jumbo shells
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
- 8 oz. bulk hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken, or turkey)
- 2 packed cups finely chopped lacinato kale (stems and ribs removed)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 tsp. Calabrian chiles (or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Prepare Feta Filling: To a food processor, combine feta, Greek yogurt, honey, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend on HIGH until smooth and creamy, about 90 seconds. Set aside.
- Add the shells to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool. (You will have cooked off more shells than will fit in the dish; that’s insurance in case any rip. Reserve extras for another use.)
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or sauté pan over medium. Add onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Crumble sausage into pan and cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes.Stir in kale, garlic, sage, and Calabrian chiles (or red pepper flakes); cook another 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, broth, and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer half of the sausage-pumpkin sauce to a bowl.
- Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of whipped feta filling into each of the shells (you should be able to fill 22 to 24 shells), lining up the stuffed shells over the remaining sausage-pumpkin sauce in the pan as you go. (Note: if your pan is not oven-safe, use a casserole dish instead.)Spoon the reserved sausage-pumpkin sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with additional crumbled feta cheese, if desired.Bake, uncovered, for 17 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Make-Ahead. You can boil the pasta shells 1 day in advance. Toss in a little olive oil to prevent sticking and tearing, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill.
- You can also prepare the whipped feta filling 1 to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Store. Refrigerate leftover feta stuffed shells in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat. These shells are best reheated in the oven. I suggest baking them, covered, at 350ºF for about 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions in a pinch.
- Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
Photography by Meg McKeehan
What do you do with the sausage mixture that you put aside? Does half the mixture go in the bottom of the pan?
The sausage mixture that you put aside is spooned over the shells once they are assembled in the pan. Half of the sausage-pumpkin sauce remains in the pan as the base of the shells.
Thanks. I missed the line about the oven proof pan.
Could you transfer the bottom layer to a 9×13” casserole dish and then layer the shells and remaining sauce?