Festive Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 20 to 22 jumbo pasta shells
• 3 to 4 large russet potatoes, baked and cooled
• ¼ cup unsweetened nondairy milk
• ½ cup diced yellow or sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, finely chopped
• 1⅓ cups your favorite prepared marinara sauce, plus more for serving
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. 2
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the shells. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shells are almost cooked but still quite firm. Drain and let cool.
3. 3
   Meanwhile, slice each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the pulp, using a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon. Measure out 3 cups of the potato pulp, making sure to pack it very tightly into the measuring cup. Put the 3 cups of the potato pulp in a high-performance blending appliance.
4. 4
   Add the nondairy milk, onion, garlic, and salt. Process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Fold the chopped baby spinach into the potato mixture.
5. 5
   Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch casserole dish. Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of the potato filling into each of the shells. Place each shell into the prepared casserole dish. Repeat until all shells are stuffed. Top each shell with 1 heaping teaspoon of the marinara sauce.
6. 6
   Cover loosely and bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the sauce is bubbling. Uncover during the last 5 to 7 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with optional chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, if desired. Serve extra sauce in a gravy boat or small bowl to pass around the table.