• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    Nov 9, 2018 · Modified: Feb 27, 2019 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

    Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells

    858 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    Giant pasta shells stuffed with a creamy, enchilada-inspired filling, and covered in homemade enchilada sauce - the perfect fusion.

    Portion of enchilada stuffed pasta shells on a plate with a fork

    If there's one thing that will always tempt me, it's cheesy pasta. Add some more of my favourite ingredients - black beans, sweetcorn, spicy enchilada sauce - and you've got a comforting dinner that won't fail to please!

    Portion of enchilada stuffed pasta shells on a plate with garlic bread and salad

    Fusion food

    You all know how much I love fusion food. Why enjoy just one cuisine, when you can enjoy two? I really couldn't care less if my cooking isn't authentic - if it's delicious, I'm all in.

    These cheesy enchilada stuffed pasta shells combine Tex-Mex and Italian to give the best of both worlds. They're spicy, with beans and sweetcorn and coriander... but also, pasta.

    This is pretty much my heaven on a plate.

    Creamy ricotta and black bean mixture in a bowl

    Easy no-cook filling

    Since stuffing pasta shells is effort enough, I made sure the filling was super easy - it requires no pre-cooking at all. Black beans and sweetcorn straight from the tin, some fresh coriander (cilantro), and some creamy ricotta to hold everything together. I've used this exact combination to fill enchiladas before, and it works really well - it's mild and creamy, and is the perfect contrast to the spicy enchilada sauce you pour over the top.

    Of course, if you want to add extra ingredients to the filling, feel free - either something else that requires no cooking (maybe some chopped spring onions, or finely diced tomatoes), or if you can be bothered, something that needs a few minutes in a pan first (some chopped onion, peppers, that kind of thing).

    Collage showing homemade enchilada sauce being made

    Homemade enchilada sauce

    Next up, the homemade enchilada sauce. I always make the effort to make enchilada sauce from scratch - I'm usually super lazy, but you can really taste the difference from the stuff you buy in a jar (though you can definitely use that instead if you prefer, no judgement here!). It's a recipe I've mentioned a few times here on the blog, and it's super easy - it literally takes a couple of minutes to make.

    First, you make a paste with flour, spices, and tomato puree. Then add some veggie stock, and whisk it until it's smooth. So, so easy.

    Collage showing enchilada stuffed pasta shells being layered up in a baking dish

    Stuffed pasta shells

    All that's left to do is to stuff the filling into the pasta shells, and pour over the enchilada sauce. Make sure you use the extra big shells - they're called conchiglioni.

    Stuffing the shells can get a bit messy, but don't fret - it really doesn't matter if some of the filling spills out, or if some of the pasta shells tear a little as you stuff them. It's a really forgiving dish - it's all going to be hidden under that sauce anyway (as well as the cheesy topping!). If you have any of the filling mixture left over, you can just dollop it around the dish.

    If you can't find the big pasta shells, or you just can't be bothered with individually stuffing them, you can use any other kind of pasta instead - stuff the filling into tubes of cannelloni, layer it up with lasagne, or just dollop it through a heap of penne. It will all taste amazing.

    Collage showing cheesy enchilada stuffed pasta shells in a baking dish

    The topping

    Of course, no pasta bake is complete without a cheesy topping - crispy in some places, gooey in others. It's a must. I like to use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella - mozzarella helps it to get nice and gooey, and gives that beautiful stretchiness when you pull out the spoon, and cheddar gives lots of flavour, and crisps up beautifully.

    I also like to add some sliced tomato - it makes it look a bit more interesting when it comes out of the oven, and extra veggies never hurt anyone!

    The end result is a real crowd-pleaser - who doesn't like cheesy pasta?!

    Cheesy enchilada stuffed pasta shells in a baking dish with a portion removed

    Perfect for dinner parties

    This is just the kind of dish I love to make when I have friends over - you can make it in advance, and then just pop it in the oven when your guests arrive, so you can be enjoying their company rather than slaving away over a hot stove. Place the bubbly dish in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves, family-style. All you need is some garlic bread and a bowlful of salad on the side, and you're sorted. You could even play up the Tex-Mex theme with some little bowls of guacamole and sour cream - the perfect combination.

    Portion of enchilada stuffed pasta shells on a plate with salad

    Enchilada stuffed pasta shells

    The perfect fusion of Tex-Mex and Italian - giant pasta shells stuffed with a creamy black bean mixture, and covered in a simple homemade enchilada sauce.

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 572kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes

    Ingredients

    • 240 g (~ 8 ½ oz) large pasta shells
    • 400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 130 g (~ ¾ cup) sweetcorn - I used tinned
    • Few sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
    • 250 g (~ 1 cup) ricotta cheese
    • Salt
    • Black pepper
    • 2 tablespoon oil
    • 1 tablespoon plain flour
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon tomato puree / paste
    • 250 ml (~ 1 cup) water or vegetable stock
    • 100 g (~ 3 ½ oz) mozzarella cheese, sliced
    • 50 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ ½ cup when grated)
    • 1 tomato sliced

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta shells in a large pan of water until al dente (they need to be pliable, but preferably just short of being fully cooked). Drain, and cover with cold water.
    • In a mixing bowl, combine the black beans, sweetcorn, chopped coriander, and ricotta cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.
    • To make the homemade enchilada sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan, and add the flour, spices and tomato puree. Whisk over a low heat to give a thick paste. Add the vegetable stock a little at a time, whisking until smooth each time before adding more. Season to taste.
    • To assemble, add a couple of tablespoons of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of a baking dish (mine measured around 8 x 8 inches). Spread it around to give a thin coating of sauce - this helps to stop the pasta sticking. Stuff each pasta shell with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture, and arrange them in the dish. Pour over the remaining sauce, trying to make sure the pasta is fully covered with a thin layer of sauce, especially any edges or corners.
    • Top the pasta with some sliced mozzarella and grated cheddar, and a few slices of tomato. Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and crispy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 572 kcal - Carbohydrates: 61.8 g - Protein: 29.5 g - Fat: 23.9 g - Saturated Fat: 10.3 g - Cholesterol: 96 mg - Sodium: 379 mg - Potassium: 621 mg - Fiber: 6.6 g - Sugar: 2.8 g - Calcium: 320 mg - Iron: 5.4 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

    Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for ¼ of the recipe.

    Love fusion food? Try my Mexican bean lasagne!

    More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    • Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart
    • 40 Vegetarian Mushroom Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Vegetarian Chilli Mac (One Pot!)
    858 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tara Ford says

      September 07, 2021 at 8:44 pm

      Absolutely love this recipe!
      I've made it several times now and being the only veggie in the house, I eat one portion and freeze three for later.
      Heated straight from frozen in the microwave or conventional oven it always turns out delicious!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        September 17, 2021 at 9:23 am

        Oh fab! Great to hear it freezes well, thanks for the info :)

        Reply
    2. Nicki Escudero says

      November 03, 2019 at 4:27 pm

      Hi, Becca,

      I made these this weekend, and the recipe is another fusion hit. Thanks so much for these awesome creations! Nicki5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        November 05, 2019 at 4:29 pm

        Thanks lovely! :D

        Reply
    3. Laura says

      March 04, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      Made with vegan cream cheese instead of ricotta, andvegan mozarella, worked brilliantly and enjoyed by the whole family. Thanks!4 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        March 04, 2019 at 8:24 pm

        Thanks for the lovely feedback!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Feta
    • Creamy Mushrooms On Toast
    • Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)
    • Creamy Cowboy Caviar (with Avocado Dressing)
    • Creamy Three Bean Stew
    • Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
    • 10 Minute Lemon and Black Pepper Chickpeas
    • Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

    Most Popular

    • Mushroom Bourguignon
    • How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • 15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles
    • 15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera
    • Roasted Vegetable Fattoush
    • Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
    • Sweet Potato Curry
    • Slow Cooker Ratatouille
    • Veggie Burrito Bowls
    • 20 Minute Vegetable Stroganoff

    Most Popular

    • Mushroom Bourguignon
    • How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for recipes by email

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

    858 shares