These vegan manicotti are stuffed with a mix of kale and dairy-free ricotta, then smothered in creamy blush sauce and baked up to bubbly perfection!
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta into a colander and toss it with a dash of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the shallots. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic and flour. Continue to sauté for about 2 minutes, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
Stir in the wine and raise the heat to bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the it to simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes, until it thickens up a bit.
Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt.
While the sauce simmers, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
Add the kale and continue to sauté until it has fully wilted, about 8 minutes. You can add a splash or two of water to help this along, but no more than that.
Remove the skillet from heat and let it sit to cool while you make the ricotta.
Place the cashews, milk, lemon juice and onion into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
Add the tofu and pulse until a chunky, ricotta-like texture is achieved.
If the kale will fit into your food processor bowl, add it and pulse a few times to incorporate it into the mix. Otherwise, combine the ricotta and kale in a large mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Ladle about half of the sauce into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Use a pastry bag or zippy bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the ricotta mixture into the shells.
Arrange the shells in the baking dish once filled, and then ladle the remaining sauce over top.
Cover the dish and bake for about 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Divide onto plates and top with fresh basil or parsley.