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    Home » Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells

    Lindsay Moe

    176 shares
    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells - An easy stuffed shell recipe that skips the stuffing and goes straight for flavor! #pasta #stuffedshells #vegetarian #pastabake #sundriedtomato #broccoli

    These sun dried tomato and broccoli unstuffed shells skip the tedious stuffing and go straight for flavor! Easy to make and even more fun to eat, this vegetarian dinner idea is ready in about an hour.

    three bowls of Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells.
    Jump to Recipe

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.

    Jump to:
    • Easy stuffed shells
    • Ingredients
    • How to make unstuffed shells
    • Top tips
    • FAQ
    • More pasta recipes
    • Recipe

    You’re looking at comfort food at it’s finest.

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in casserole dish.

    My family loves a good pasta dish, but my kids can be a little picky about all the goodies I mix it up with. I’ve made delicious variations on stuffed shells many times, only to have them scrape out all the goodness before devouring the shell. I’d find myself eating the vegetables off their plate, but it still felt a little wasteful.

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in casserole dish with wooden spoon scooping out some.

    Easy stuffed shells

    Eventually I decided it was time to go unstuffed. What is an unstuffed shell you may ask? It’s an easy recipe for stuffed shells that skips all the stuffing and just mixes the pasta with the sauce and veggies. You’re left with perfectly cooked giant pasta shells, creamy sauce, and tons of flavorful veggies that can be easily picked around by little hands or piled on by me.

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells close up in white bowl with forks in background.

    Ingredients

    • Shell pasta
    • Broccoli
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Crushed red pepper flakes
    • Sun dried tomatoes (with oil)
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Butter
    • Flour
    • Milk
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Mozzarella cheese
    • Breadcrumbs
    • Olive oil
    • Salt & pepper

    How to make unstuffed shells

    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than called for in the package directions. Add the broccoli to the pasta water in the last two minutes of cooking. Drain and transfer back to the pot or a large bowl.
    2. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomato jar in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.
    3. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
    4. Add the sun dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, stirring until the vinegar is cooked off and the tomatoes are hot, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli.
    5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk 1 minute.
    6. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, whisking, until thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the sauce to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli.
    7. Stir the pasta together with the sauce and vegetables. Spread out in a 9×13 baking dish coated with cooking spray and top with mozzarella cheese.
    8. In a small bowl, combine panko, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, stirring or mixing with clean fingers until fully combined. Sprinkle evenly over the mozzarella. Sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.
    9. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350ºF or until the top is beginning to brown and the edges are bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in casserole dish.

    Top tips

    Don’t cook the pasta to al dente

    When making baked pasta, I like to undercook my pasta by 1-2 minutes. This allows it to finish cooking in the oven, giving it the perfect pasta texture. If you boil the pasta all the way before baking, you may end up with mushy pasta.

    Cook the broccoli with the pasta

    Broccoli only needs to boil for about 2 minutes to become crisp tender, so I like to throw it in with the pasta in the last few minutes of cooking. If you prefer, you could steam the broccoli separately.

    Tips for customizing sun dried tomato and broccoli unstuffed shells

    • Use a gluten-free pasta, gluten-free flour blend, and skip the breadcrumbs to make this gluten-free
    • Swap the large shells for whatever shape you have on hand
    • Add whatever leftover veggies you might have on hand such as cooked zucchini, spinach, or sweet potato cubes
    • Add roasted chickpeas, diced cooked chicken, or peeled cooked shrimp for protein
    • Swap the white sauce for your favorite pesto
    topview image of Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in casserole dish with wooden spoon.

    FAQ

    What are unstuffed shells?

    Unstuffed shells are similar to stuffed shell pasta bakes because they have all the same components (large shell pasta, filling, sauce, and cheese), but are different because you aren’t spending a ton of time stuffing the filling into the shells. Everything gets stirred together and eaten together, but you’re making life a whole lot easier.

    Can I use dry packed sun dried tomatoes?

    Yes, you could use sun dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, although they may not be as tender as those that come in oil. You would need to swap the sun dried tomato oil in the recipe for regular olive oil.

    Is parmesan cheese vegetarian?

    Real parmesan cheese is not vegetarian because it is made with animal rennet. If this is important to you, try to find a parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet.

    More pasta recipes

    • Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
    • Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
    • Spinach Pesto Pasta
    • Meatless Baked Ziti
    • Skillet Lasagna
    • Baked Ravioli
    • Creamy Fettuccine with Cajun Tofu
    • Farmer’s Market Lasagna Rolls
    • Pan Fried Butternut Squash Pasta
    • Pesto Linguine with Crispy Balsamic Chickpeas
    • Tomato and Feta Pasta
    • Easy Fettuccine Alfredo
    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in bow.

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

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    Recipe

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells in casserole dish with wooden spoon scooping out some.

    Sun Dried Tomato and Broccoli Unstuffed Shells

    An easy recipe for stuffed shells that skips the stuffing while mixing in sun dried tomatoes and broccoli.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 654kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces large shell pasta
    • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
    • 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomato jar
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • ½ cup sun dried tomato in oil, drained
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 ½ cups milk
    • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
    • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup Italian or mozzarella cheese
    • ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Chopped freshly parsley, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than called for in the package directions. Add the broccoli to the pasta water in the last two minutes of cooking. Drain and transfer back to the pot or a large bowl.
    • While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomato jar in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.
    • Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
    • Add the sun dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, stirring until the vinegar is cooked off and the tomatoes are hot, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli.
    • Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
    • Add the flour and whisk 1 minute.
    • Slowly whisk in the milk.
    • Whisk in ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, whisking, until thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the sauce to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli.
    • Stir the pasta together with the sauce and vegetables. Spread out in the prepared pan and top with mozzarella cheese.
    • In a small bowl, combine panko, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, stirring or mixing with clean fingers until fully combined. Sprinkle evenly over the mozzarella. Sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.
    • Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown and the edges are bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

    Notes

     

    Tips for customizing sun dried tomato and broccoli unstuffed shells

    • Use a gluten-free pasta, gluten-free flour blend, and skip the breadcrumbs to make this gluten-free
    • Swap the large shells for whatever shape you have on hand
    • Add whatever leftover veggies you might have on hand such as cooked zucchini, spinach, or sweet potato cubes
    • Add roasted chickpeas, diced cooked chicken, or peeled cooked shrimp for protein
    • Swap the white sauce for your favorite pesto
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 843mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1350IU | Vitamin C: 101.4mg | Calcium: 437mg | Iron: 2.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Anna says

      March 07, 2018 at 4:41 am

      5 stars
      Looks amazing!!!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        March 07, 2018 at 1:19 pm

        Thanks Anna!

        Reply
    2. Tim says

      April 11, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      This sounds amazing! Planning it for this weekend.
      For the sundried Tomatoes, are you using halved, julienned, or “chef’s choice”?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        April 13, 2018 at 1:44 pm

        I always use julienned, but any would work, and you could always chop up larger ones if necessary.

        Reply
    3. BillC says

      March 04, 2021 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      This is a delicious recipe. It took a little coordination, and an extra hand, once the béchamel was started to get it all together on a weeknight. We 1.5x the recipe as jumbo shells come in 12oz packages and I did not want a lingering open box left over. Using our largest Pyrex pan (11×17) and a little extra oven time did the trick. Our kids loved this, and it was a tasty leftover too. Thank you for this recipe.

      Reply

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    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

    More about me →

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    176 shares