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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 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 top 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: 6
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 9x13 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!
Could you do this with lasagna noodles and roll them instead of using the jumbo shells?
Hey Jana,
Yes that would be a great idea! Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
We made this the other night and it was so delicious! Flavorful, rich, and delicious. I think we may have over-reduced the sauce, or maybe just wanted a little bit more sauce.
We have some dietary restrictions but found good substitutes.
My roommate is gluten-free, but we weren’t able to locate gluten-free shells (they exist, but we couldn’t get them day-of) so we used Jovial brand manicotti. I think we used more like 10 ounces (1.5 packages – we ran out of filling for the last bit). She also has a harder time with lactose so we substituted a light goat gouda for the fontina, a hard sheep ricotta mixed with goat fromage blanc for the ricotta, and a goat mozzerella (the shreddable kind) for the mozzarella. It was so good!
Thank you so much for trying this and all of the substitutions! I am sure they will be super helpful to others! xTieghan
Fantastic recipe! I am pregnant and not enjoying meat right now so I used mushrooms & onions instead of the chicken sausage. I also added cumin. Soooo yummy!
Thank you so much Melanie!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
6 out of 5 stars! I love this recipe so much. I’ve made it twice and I’ll definitely make it again. I cannot legally buy vodka, so I substitute it for chicken broth. I also use extra cheese because… ya know… cheese is delicious! The first time I made this recipe, I stuffed the shells, which is amazing. The second time, I was lazy so I just put the shells in the vodka sauce and spread all of the ricotta mixture on top of it. Both ways are equally good. 110% recommend this recipe!
Hi Allison! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! Haha that reminds me of when I would cook when I was younger and think of alcohol as just an ingredient… but you still have to be 21. I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
I made this for the first time last night. So Delicious on a cold, rainy evening! I didn’t have any vodka on hand, so I subbed chicken broth. Pumpkin based pasta sauces and chili are my all time fave! You packed a lot of flavor in this dish. Don’t be afraid to add a few more pinches of red pepper flakes! 🙂
Hi Katie! The best for a chilly night! I am so glad you tried this and enjoyed it! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This was fantastic! I want to bottle that sauce and put it on EVERYTHING! So delicious! Used vegetarian Italian sausage and it was Amazing.
Thank you,
Cheryl
Thank you so much Cheryl! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe with us. I made it this weekend and it was hands down the best dish ever. From now on this is gonna be my special dish for family and friends.
Thank you! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
This was delicious ?! I had to use breakfast sausage due to the local grocery store not having ground chicken. The pumpkin wasn’t over powering!
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you Suz! xTieghan
I’m going to make this for my vegetarian Thanksgiving option this week, it looks amazing! How far in advance could I make this? Thank you!
HI Libby! You can prepare this up to 3 days ahead of time. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
I too struggled with finding a chicken sausage I was comfortable using, so I used ground beef and threw in a bunch of random seasonings to bring up the spice level. I also used sweet potato instead of pumpkin because i had it on hand, and a slightly different cheese blend — I always feel guilty not following recipes exactly the first time, but this one literally came out so perfectly! 10/10 would recommend!
I am so glad you loved this Jackie! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
I made this with the stuffed shells last month and loved it, and then just modified the recipe last night by making the pumpkin, sausage, vodka sauce over whole wheat fettuccine with plenty of Parmesan over the top. Not quite as good without the stuffed shells, but it was still quick, easy and delicious – and maybe a little bit healthier without all the cheese!
I am so glad you have been loving this recipe Emily! Thank you! xTieghan
Way easier and quicker than the finished product looks! Great for having guests over for dinner since you can make ahead and bake when you’re ready to eat. Never disappointed with any Half Baked Harvest recipe I’ve ever made! 🙂
Thank you so much Jamie! xTieghan
Can I substitute tomato for the bell peppers? I just can’t stand bell peppers 🙁
Hi Kori! I would actually just recommend omit the pepper and not replacing it with anything. the pasta will still be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Can you make this in a skillet like in the picture instead of baking dish?
Hey Alex! Yes, this works great when baked in a 12-inch cake iron skillet. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Loved this! I left out the vodka and sausage and used a whole can of pumpkin instead of half, and was generous with spices and herbs. The bell pepper is genius. The homemade pesto is a must for me! Keeps my basil bushes at bay. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Thank you so much Emily! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan