Recipe: Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

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When the weather starts to cool, I feel this uncontrollable compulsion to buy and roast a butternut squash. I know it is totally basic but my brain feels like it has been hard-wired to crave fall squashes with their subtle natural sweetness once it finally starts to feel like fall in San Francisco. Luckily, butternut squash purée is so versatile! Roasted in the oven with a bit of good olive oil, salt, and pepper and then whizzed up in the blender with some boxed broth and nutmeg, it can then be used for so many different dishes just by tweaking the amount of liquid added. A thick purée makes for a lovely spread on toast, a slightly thinner one becomes wonderful fall pasta sauce, and an even thinner consistency gives you a nice butternut squash soup with just those six ingredients.

This year, for my first roasted butternut squash purée of the season, was the first time I incorporated real, freshly grated nutmeg into the mix. Instead of the ol’ spice jar of powdered nutmeg I’ve had in my cupboard for almost a decade, I reached for a real life nutmeg nut from Spice Tribe and it smelled so incredible as the fine shavings were released into the blender. A little bit goes a long way with nutmeg, but it is truly the secret ingredient that puts the fall vibes in the butternut squash purée, and using a high quality version really does make it feel like something special.

I think I have been making a butternut squash lasagna every fall for almost my whole adult life, but this year, I learned of the joys of stuffed pasta shells and I have clearly been missing out until now. I don’t know why but I am utterly fascinated by the concept of a pasta that is shaped just like a seashell being stuffed with loads of cheese, herbs, and other goodies. Whoever first came up with this idea was so creative! I know the classic way to do them is with a tomato sauce but I think that my butternut squash sauce is the perfect base for a fall version.

This version of stuffed shells has smooth butternut squash purée with a hint of nutmeg for the base, and they are filled to the brim with seasoned ground turkey, sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, and a bunch of herbs reminiscent of a good Thanksgiving stuffing. You’ll be surprised how much filling one of these pasta shells can hold, and biting into one of these is quite a feast of flavor!

When I make savory fall dishes, I find myself reaching for Spice Tribe’s Masa Mole blend. It contains ancho chile, guajillo chile, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, onion, allspice, oregano, chipotle and I think of this blend of warming chile powders and spices as a savory equivalent to “pumpkin spice” when it comes to bringing out all the flavors that I want to enjoy with my fall vibes. I used it to season my ground turkey in this recipe, and it instantly transformed the mince into a cozy, flavorful base for my pasta shell filling.

The making of this hearty autumnal dish has the following stages:

  • Roasting the butternut squash: I like to do this the night before since it is safer and easier to run things through the blender when they are cooled. Make sure to roast it until the edges get a little browned and caramelized. That’s what gives the sauce so much good flavor with so few ingredients.

  • Making the sauce: Blending up all the roasted squash with freshly grated Spice Tribe Island Nutmeg and some boxed chicken broth transforms it into a smooth autumnal pasta sauce.

  • Making the filling: Cooking up the ground turkey with some Spice Tribe Masa Mole seasoning blend brings warm spices and the flavor of smoky chilies into the mix. Lots of herbs help give this filling its robust flavors. The sun-dried tomatoes bring a nice little tartness to balance out the creamy cheeses.

  • Stuffing the shells: Par-boiling the pasta shells and stuffing them with the turkey, sun-dried tomato, and cheese mixture is the most fun part (aside from eating, of course). Unlike with dumplings, there’s not a lot of downside to really packing the filling in there; I was amazed at how sturdy the shells were and how much I could cram in them.

  • Baking until bubbly and melty: Giving the cheese some time in the oven to melt is what transforms this dish into a completely indulgent, gooey skillet of fall pasta goodness. This dish is not exactly light, but it is delicious!

How to Make Turkey & Sundried Tomato Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

Ingredients For the Sauce

about 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp Spice Tribe Island Nutmeg, freshly grated
3/4 – 1 cup chicken broth

Ingredients For the Filling

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 oz ground turkey
2 tsp Spice Tribe Masa Mole blend
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup ricotta, excess water drained
~ 1 tbsp thyme, leaves picked
1 tbsp sage, finely chopped
1 handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes*, chopped into 1/4” pieces
1 egg, beaten
1 cup mozzarella, freshly grated

Ingredients For the Stuffed Shells

18 jumbo pasta shells, plus extra for backup
3/4–1 cup mozzarella, freshly grated
~8 sage leaves
1 sprig thyme
cooking spray
fresh herbs for garnish, such as basil and oregano

*Look for sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil with minimal additives.

To make the butternut squash sauce, preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut butternut squash into chunks, about 10–12 pieces. Add squash pieces to a baking dish and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss until the pieces are evenly coated. Bake for 30 minutes, flip over squash pieces, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until very tender. Allow to cool slightly. (Note: Squash can be roasted the night before.)

Transfer roasted butternut squash and any oil from the baking dish into a blender. Add nutmeg and 3/4 cup chicken broth and blend on high until smooth. Sauce should be similar in thickness to marinara sauce; if needed, add more broth and blend again. Set sauce aside. 

To make the filling, heat oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat, then add onions. Start sautéing and turn heat down to low once onions start to brown. Continue to allow the onions to caramelize, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Turn heat back up to medium and add turkey, salt, pepper, Spice Tribe Masa Mole blend, and brown sugar. Sauté mixture until turkey is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

To the cooled turkey mixture, add ricotta cheese, chopped herbs, sundried tomatoes, and 1 cup mozzarella. Mix together, pour beaten egg on top, and mix thoroughly.

Boil pasta shells according to package instructions for stuffed shells.

Set oven to 385°F.

Add 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash sauce in an even layer to the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Scoop filling into pasta shells. (Be generous; you should be able to fit 1 to 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons in each.) Arrange filled pasta shells in the skillet. Top with remaining sauce, a thin layer of additional mozzarella, a few sage leaves, and a bit of thyme.

Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray on one side to prevent the cheese from sticking and cover the skillet. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and gooey. If desired, place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to brown the top.

Garnish with fresh basil and oregano and enjoy.

Thank you so much to Spice Tribe for sponsoring this recipe! Check them out on Instagram here or visit their website to purchase high quality spices and unique small-batch spice blends.