1-First Step: Cook the Pasta Shells Begin by boiling a pot of well-salted water and cook the 26 to 30 jumbo pasta shells until they are just al dente, which takes about 8-10 minutes. Once done, drain them and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep them from sticking; this step ensures the shells hold their shape for stuffing later.

2-Second Step: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Tofu Ricotta Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking. In a blender, combine 1 block extra-firm tofu with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest from 1 lemon, lemon juice from 1 lemon, and crushed red pepper flakes. Blend until it’s smooth but still a bit chunky, creating a versatile base for your filling.

3-Third Step: Mix the Filling Take the tofu ricotta mixture and stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese if you’re using it. This combination makes a creamy filling that’s packed with flavor, perfect for vegan pumpkin shells; mix well to ensure even distribution.

4-Fourth Step: Make the Garlic Béchamel Sauce In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the yellow onion and garlic cloves until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add all-purpose flour to form a roux, then gradually whisk in lite coconut milk until the sauce thickens, which should take around 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, then blend for a smooth finish; this sauce is what gives your dish that rich, creamy layer.

5-Fifth Step: Assemble the Dish Pour half of the garlic béchamel sauce into your baking dish to create a base. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the pumpkin ricotta filling and arrange them on top of the sauce. Then, pour the remaining sauce over the shells and scatter the 15 fresh sage leaves on top for a fragrant touch.

6-Final Step: Bake and Serve Bake the assembled dish in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes until the shells turn lightly golden. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving warm, perhaps alongside a simple side like the one from pumpkin ricotta gnocchi for a full meal. This step ensures everything is heated through and ready to enjoy, with prep time of 10 minutes and cook time of 1 hour 5 minutes totaling 1 hour 15 minutes.