Vegan Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is a bit like lasagna but less labour intensive. It’s all the goodness of layered baked pasta with minimal effort!

Whether you’re entertaining or making dinner for the family, this dish is always a great choice. It feels a little fancy but it’s really so simple and the result is rich, “cheesy”, hearty and comforting.

You’ll love this satisfying and delicious baked vegan pasta for a quick meal you can pop in the oven any night of the week. Serve it with your favourite garlic bread for the best comfort food meal!

What is baked ziti?

Ziti is a short tube-shaped pasta noodle. It’s similar to penne but is cut straight with a smooth surface instead of ridges.

Baked ziti is an Italian-American pasta casserole dish that features ziti, marinara sauce, meat and cheese. The cheese may be mozzarella, ricotta or parmesan and ground sausage is often used for the meat.

This baked ziti recipe is vegan so it does not contain any cheese or meat but it’s still hearty, comforting and delicious making it a great choice for a satisfying meatless meal.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

• Olive Oil: Olive oil is used to saute the vegetables but you can substitute water or broth to make this recipe oil-free.
• Onion: White or yellow onion works.
• Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper is best but you can substitute green, orange or yellow pepper if that’s what you have.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is best (not garlic powder).
• Cherry Tomato: Cherry tomato or grape tomato works. If you’re not a fan of tomatoes or don’t have any on hand, you can omit them.
• Oregano: You can use fresh or dried oregano. Italian seasoning would also work well here.
• Chili Flakes: Adds little kick to the recipe. You can omit it if you’re quite sensitive to spice.
• Pasta: Use ziti or substitute another short pasta shape like penne or rigatoni. For gluten-free baked ziti, use a short gluten-free pasta of choice.
• Crushed Tomato: You’ll need canned crushed tomato. Diced tomato would also work but I like crushed tomato for a smoother sauce. You could also use marinara sauce or any other pasta sauce, pizza sauce or plain tomato sauce you enjoy.
• Basil: Fresh basil is nice for serving. Parsley would also work.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Saute the Vegetables

Place a large pan on the stovetop and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

Add the garlic and red bell pepper the pan and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Cook the Tomato Sauce

Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, chili flakes and crushed tomato. If you want to add other veggies like zucchini or fresh spinach, add those now as well.

Bring the sauce to a light simmer and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered. If you’re adding ground meat or sausage to the ziti, you can mix that in now or layer in the baking dish before adding the ricotta.

Quick Tip: Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook your pasta.

Make the Tofu Ricotta

To make the tofu ricotta, add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth. It should be thick and creamy but easy to spread. To adjust the consistency, you can blend in 1-2 tbsp water or olive oil, if needed.

Quick Note: I kept the tofu ricotta plain but you can add up to 1 cup fresh herbs like basil or 1-2 tsp dried herbs like oregano, basil or Italian seasoning for herb ricotta. If you’re adding fresh herbs, chop it up and add it at the end and pulse a few times to mix it in.

Notes & Tips

• Cooking the Pasta: Be sure to slightly undercook the pasta as it will finish cooking in the oven. It should be just a little under al dente.

Possible Variations

• Add “meat” to the recipe. To add a plant-based meat alternative such as seitan sausage, Beyond meat crumbles, Field Roast sausage or Gardein beefless ground, stir them into the sauce when it’s done cooking or sprinkle over the pasta and sauce in the baking dish before adding the ricotta.
• Top with cheese. For a cheesy finish, spinkle a little grated vegan cheese over top before baking. You can also serve with this almond vegan parmesan.
• Cashew Cream: For an alternative to ricotta, try making this simple cashew cream and pouring it over the pasta and sauce in the baking dish. Top with your choice of grated cheese such as vegan mozzarella and bake.
• Vegan Baked Ziti with Spinach: Mix 3-4 handfuls of fresh baby spinach into the tomato sauce once it’s done cooking.

Serving Ideas

• Toppings: Add a spinkle of almond parmesan and fresh basil or parsley.
• Salad: Serve with a light green salad or caesar salad.
• Bread: Can’t go wrong serving your ziti with garlic bread fresh from the oven!
• Serve with bruschetta or butternut squash bruschetta as a side or beforehand as an appetizer.
• Vegetables: Serve with a side of roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, eggplant, green beans, etc.

How to Store

• Let cool before storing.
• Store tightly covered right in the baking dish or transfer to an airtight container.
• Fridge: Store up to 5 days in a sealed container.
• Freezer: Store in one large portion or transfer to individual portions and store up to 3 months. Try to remove as much air as possible from the storing container or make sure it’s tightly wrapped.
• Reheating: Microwave individual servings until heated through. If you’re reheating the whole baked ziti, you can cover with foil and reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 F until heated through.