Nacho Stuffed Jumbo Shells

You don't typically think of mexican and pasta being in the same dish but with a little help from ilovepasta.org, I set out to create a vegan version of this dish.  I love mexican food and I love pasta so what could better?

The recipe calls for 3/4 pounds lean ground beef

2 -3 cups mild, medium or hot picante sauce

8 oz can of tomato sauce

water

green onions

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can refried beans with chiles

Black Olives
1 cup cheese

For the garnishment you can really add whatever you want: jalapenos, onion, cilantro or sour cream and pico.  I wanted to keep it simple and really taste the dish so I just topped with the quacamole.

Instead of the meat I used Gimme Lean Ground Beef from Lightlife and it browned just perfectly.  I also added a 1/2 of a white onion diced and a few diced pickled jalapeno slices.  Once the beef was browned, I added the cup water and the taco seasoning and let simmer until the water had reduced.  Once the water was reduced, I added the refried beans and my daiya cheese.  That was left to simmer until smooth and creamy.  Meanwhile, I boiled my shells, drained and let cool.  While the pasta was cooling, in a separate pan, added the tomato sauce and the picante sauce and let heat for about 15 minutes.

Once the shells were cool enough, it was time to stuff the shells and prepare them for the oven.  I preheated the oven to 350.

In a 9 x 13 pan, I placed a layer of picante sauce and then started adding my stuffed shells.  Once the shells were stuffed, I covered with the remaining picante sauce and added black olives to the top.  Covered with foil and put in the oven to cook for about 1/2 hour. 

I removed the foil and cooked for another 15 minutes after sprinkling with more cheese on top.  Once the cheese was melted, I added my sliced green onions and served. 

It was a HUGE hit  and really simple to make.   I feel that this is a meal that everyone in the family will love.

Definitely a vegan YES!