Vegan Baked Ziti

Overhead view of baked ziti sprinkled with fresh herbs in an oval baking dish/

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5 from 1 vote

Try this hearty, comforting and delicious vegan baked ziti for an easy crowd-pleasing meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Author: Deryn Macey

Ingredients

For the Baked Ziti

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion sliced (200 g)
4 cloves garlic minced (10 g)
salt and pepper
1 red pepper sliced (175 g)
2 cups cherry tomato halved (285 g)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes
28 oz can crushed tomato 796 ml
500 g uncooked ziti or penne
2 tbsp chopped basil

For the Tofu Ricotta

350 g package extra-firm tofu drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast 25 g
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp ground garlic

Instructions

Saute Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until translucent, roughly 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and red peppers to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often. Start brining a large pot of salted water to boil to cook the pasta.
Cook Sauce: Add the tomatoes, oregano, chilli flakes and crushed tomato to the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook Pasta: When the water is fully boiling, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Cook to about 1 minute under al dente since it will finish cooking in the oven. Start preheating the oven when the pasta is nearly ready.
Make Tofu Ricotta: Add all of the tofu ricotta ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and combine until smooth. Alternatively, use a prepared ricotta of choice, either homemade or store-bought.
Mix Pasta & Sauce: Once pasta is cooked, strain off all water and place back in the pot, add your sauce and mix well. Alternatively, you can mix them right in the baking dish.
Bake Ziti: Transfer pasta into an approximately 12x8-inch baking dish. Evenly spread pasta in the baking dish then cover with tofu ricotta. Bake 20 minutes at 350 F for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Serve: Let stand for 10 minutes, sprinkle with the chopped basil and fresh-cracked black pepper and enjoy.

Notes

Cheese Options: As an alternative to tofu ricotta, you can pour 1 cup cashew cream over the pasta and sauce then top with shredded vegan mozzarella, use a combination of cheeses on top, such as mozzarella and parmesan or use a store-bought ricotta or other dairy-free cheese you enjoy. This easy almond or cashew parmesan is good for serving.

Storing: Let cool. Tightly wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, tightly wrap or store as individual servings in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Thaw then reheat in the microwave or oven at 350 F until heated through.

Nutrition