Pumpkin and Cheese Stuffed Shells
Creamy pumpkin and cheese filled shells topped with brown butter alfredo sauce
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 585kcal
Equipment
- stove top
Ingredients
Jumbo Shells
- 20 pieces jumbo shells
- 4 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 14 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2.5 cups whole milk
- 7 oz parmesan cheese shredded
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/16 tsp nutmeg
- 1 splash chicken base OPTIONAL
Pumpkin and Cheese Filling
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 5 oz fontina shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella shredded
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup basil chiffonade
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
Boil the Shells
- Fill a pot with water, salt and oil then bring it to a boil. Add the shells and cook according to package directions
- Drain the shells and rinse under cold water. Set aside
Making the Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce
- Brown the butter in a sauce pot. As soon as the butter is brown add the garlic and stir around for 15 seconds
- Add the flour and whisk well. Let the flour cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat
- Add the cream and whisk until there are no lumps. Add the milk, whisking until smooth
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg. Add the chicken base if you are using it
- Whisk the sauce until the cheese has melted and you have a smooth consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside
Mix the Pumpkin and Cheese Filling
- Add all filling ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl and mix until well combined
Filling and Baking the Shells
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a baking dish with non stick cooking spray
- Spread a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish
- Fill each shell with approximately 1.5 tablespoon pumpkin cheese filling and place in the dish open side up
- Once all shells are filled pour the sauce over the top of all the shells. Use a spoon to spread sauce out trying to cover the tops of all the shells
- Bake for 30 minutes until shells are bubbly. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Shells can be boiled and kept in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead of time in an airtight container.
Cook the shells slightly less done than al dente. They will continue cooking in the oven when warming the filling.
As soon as the filling in the center of a centrally located shell is hot, it is ready to go. You can check the temperature with a digital meat thermometer, when it reads 170°F, they are hot enough.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 2361mg | Potassium: 399mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 12703IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 759mg | Iron: 2mg
