Spicy Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells
Spicy Pumpkin and Feta Stuffed Shells with sausage, kale, and fresh sage. The ultimate fall stuffed shells recipe that's also freezer-friendly.
Servings: 6 to 8
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
Serving: 4shells with sauce | Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 901mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g