February 12, 2021
Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells
Meaty, cheesy deep fried vegan jumbo stuffed shells – a fun spin on a classic favorite! Jumbo shells are filled with seasoned vegan ground meat and mozzarella, then coated and fried to crispy, golden-brown perfection!
If you love stuffed shells, you’re gonna love these! Serve ’em with your favorite marinara sauce for a delicious snack!
deep fried stuffed shells? Yes, please!
Loaded with seasoned vegan ground meat, melty vegan mozzarella, and fresh herbs, these stuffed shells are fast favorites! A hearty, savory, Italian-inspired appetizer that might look elaborate, but are actually quite easy to prepare! My Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells are a fun and delicious appetizer for your next date night in (hint, hint) or weeknight snack!
Grab a drink and let’s to cookin’ the best Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells!
how to make Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells
These Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells might look a bit intimidating, but they’re actually so easy to make! Here’s what you do:
- Prepare the stuffing for the shells by mixing all the filling ingredients in a large bowl thoroughly
- Using about 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture, stuff one cooked shell at a time, then cover each stuffed shell with another jumbo shell, so each stuffed shell is fully enclosed
- Once all the shells are stuffed, preheat your oil and prepare your dredging station
- Coat each stuffed shell first into the wet batter, then into the flour, back into the wet batter, and finally in the panko bread crumbs
- Fry until completely cooked through, and golden-brown and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. **NOTE: you need to cook these long enough so the filling cook through, so make sure your oil is not too hot, otherwise the outside will cook, but the stuffing will still be raw**
- Garnish with fresh parsley and vegan parmesan, and serve immediately with warm marinara!
That’s it! Super easy and so delicious!
freezer and air-fryer instructions
As if my Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells couldn’t get any better, you can also freeze them for later and air-fry them if you prefer using ;less oil. Here’s how:
Freezer Instructions: Prepare Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells according to instructions, but stop before frying them. Add coated, stuffed shells to a freezer bag in a single layer. Seal, removing as much air as possible. Store in the freezer up to 3 months. When ready to fry, remove from the freezer and let defrost at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Fry according to directions.
Air Fryer Instructions: If you’re big into air-frying, my Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells is just as delicious air-fried! Coat your squares with a bit of cooking spray and cook in your air fryer at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
give stuffed shells a whole new meaning
There’re stuffed shells, then there’s DEEP FRIED STUFFED SHELLS. If you give my Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells a try, I want to know! Snap a photo or video and show me your noods by tagging me on Instagram at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing all your recreations of my recipes! Until next time, friends!
XO!
Deep Fried Vegan Jumbo Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 1- pound vegan ground *see recipe notes
- 2 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs divided
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella shreds
- 1/3 cup fresh minced parsley plus more for garnishing
- 2 ½ tsp salt divided
- 2 tsp pepper divided
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 16 oz box jumbo stuffed shells, cooked al dente according to package directions and drained
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 vegan egg replacement prepared according to package directions, such as Bob’s Red Mill or JUST Egg
- 1 cup unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Vegan parmesan for garnish
- Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- To prepare the filling for the shells, place the vegan ground, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, mozzarella, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and minced garlic in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix well to thoroughly combine.
- Form an oblong meatball using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and stuff one cooked shell. Cover the stuffed shell with another shell to full cover it. Repeat until all the shells are stuffed.
- Preheat about 4 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, to 325° - 330° F.
- While the oil is preheating, prepare your dredging station. In one shallow bowl, combine prepared vegan egg and milk. In a second bowl, add the flour. In a third bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and Italian seasonings.
- Coat the stuffed shells first into the vegan egg/milk mixture, tapping off any excess liquid. Then coat the shell into the flour, back into the egg/milk mixture, and finally into the panko breadcrumbs, making sure the shells are thoroughly coated in each step of coating. Repeat until all the stuffed shells are coated.
- In batches of about 3 to 4 shells, gently place the shells into the hot oil – you’ll know it’s ready when you sprinkle a dash of breadcrumbs into the oil and it begins to sizzle immediately – and fry until cooked completely through and golden brown and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes (*see recipe notes).
- Transfer the cooked shells to a paper towel lined plate and repeat until all the shells are fried. Garnish with minced parsley and vegan parmesan cheese, serve with your favorite marinara sauce and enjoy!
Notes
*It’s important the frying oil is not too hot – if it is, the outside will get crispy, but the inside will not cook fully through. **RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TASTEMADE**
Very tasty and fun to make!
Holy crap these were amazing! The whole family loved them. I really want to make these for the non-vegans in my life to show them how delicious vegan food is. Thanks for another amazing recipe. Love the creativity of this one!
These were fun to make and very tasty. I think they were a little too crispy but were good overall!