Vegan baked ziti isn't just a delicious alternative to the traditional meat-based pasta bake - it's a cozy and nourishing meal that even meat eaters will love! It's also easy enough to make on weeknights, but substantial enough to serve at casual dinner parties.
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There's few things more comforting than a creamy sauce combined with pasta or noodles. As the weather gets chillier we all crave a beautiful vegan stroganoff or a satisfying side of vegan spaghetti.
This vegan baked ziti is one such meal - It ticks all the comforting and satisfying boxes! Pull up a chair and grab a a big bowl of piping hot, cheesy pasta that's loaded with vegan ground beef, tofu ricotta and vegan shredded mozzarella cheese. This recipe is the epitome of comfort food! Absolutely perfect for those chilly nights when you just want to cozy up with a warm and hearty meal.
Top Tip: If you love vegan comfort food, you've got to try my slow cooker lentil Bolognese.
🧡Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
🧡The tofu we'll be using in the tofu ricotta is a great source of protein that contains all nine essential amino acids, making it an excellent meat substitute. By using tofu ricotta instead of dairy-based ricotta, you're reducing your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
🧡It's easy to make this vegan baked ziti recipe ahead of time. When you're ready to eat it, simply cover the pan in foil and pop it in the oven.
🧡It's a failsafe option for dinner parties and potlucks where you may need to accommodate a variety of dietary needs.
🛒Ingredients
- Onion: Onions are a great flavor base for any sauce. You could also use a red onion or several shallots.
- Vegan Beef Crumbles: I used my favorite brand of beef crumbles, but you could also cut up your favorite vegan sausages.
- Garlic: Garlic is used to add flavor and aroma to the dish. It's a must! You could substitute with garlic powder in a pinch, but I highly recommend using fresh garlic.
- Olive Oil: We'll only be using a small amount to saute the onions in this recipe, so it's fine to substitute vegetable oil if that's what you have on hand.
- San Marzano Chopped Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are simply the best chopped tomatoes out there! The flavor makes an incredible difference to the finished dish, so please use them if you can. However, if you can't get your hands on the gold standard tomatoes, just substitute with the best quality canned tomatoes you can find.
- Tomato Sauce: Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce to add richness and flavor to your vegan baked ziti.
- Vegan Tofu Ricotta: You can either make my homemade recipe, following the instructions below, or you can buy your favorite brand of store-bought vegan ricotta cheese. My recipe is creamy and delicious and has no cashews!
- Basil: Basil adds a sweet, slightly peppery flavor.
- Oregano: Oregano add a slightly bitter, pungent flavor, which combats the sweetness of basil.
- Chili Pepper Flakes: Add a little bit of heat to the dish! There's only ½ teaspoon in the recipe, but if you don't like any background heat, simply omit the chili pepper flakes.
- Shredded Mozzarella: Adds a creamy, melty texture and savory flavor. Buy your favorite brand of vegan cheese that has good "melt factor."
🍝How To Make Vegan Baked Ziti
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190℃).
Cook The Pasta & Make The Tofu Ricotta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your ziti pasta and cook for 6 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Your pasta will be slightly undercooked. Don't worry, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- While the pasta is cooking, make your vegan ricotta cheese (or use store-bought). Set aside. The recipe can be found in the recipe card below. I also have a blog post on tofu ricotta cheese with step-by-step instructions.
Make The Sauce
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the vegan beef crumbles to the pan and saute for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked ziti pasta to the saucepan and stir until the pasta is coated in sauce.
- In a 9x13 inch casserole dish, spread half of the pasta and sauce mixture. Dollop the the vegan ricotta cheese on top of the pasta
Assemble The Vegan Baked Ziti
- Add the remaining pasta and sauce mixture on top of the first layer. Sprinkle with vegan Mozzarella.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the pan and bake for 20 more minutes.
- Allow the vegan ziti bake to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving.
How To Make Vegan Baked Ziti Ahead Of Time
Make and assemble the baked ziti as per the recipe card.
When you are ready to bake the vegan baked ziti, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cover the pan with foil and bake the ziti for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is golden and bubbly. Let it cool for a 10 minutes before serving.
💡Expert Tips
- Be sure to only cook your pasta on the stovetop for 5-6 minutes. If you fully cook it, it will get mushy when baked in the oven.
- Do not coat the pasta in olive oil after it's finished cooking. I know that it's a habit that many people are into when making pasta bakes. However, the oil will prevent the sauce from clinging to the pasta.
- Gently press down on each layer of pasta and cheese with the back of a spatula to compact it in the pan. This will allow you to get all of the ingredients into the pan (it's a big dish), and it will help your vegan baked ziti to hold its shape after you cut it.
- Vegan cheese brands all melt at different speeds, some better than others. If you find that your vegan cheese hasn't melted all the way, pop the baked ziti under the broiler for a few minutes.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
This is one hearty meal, so it's fine to keep your side dishes minimal. Here's a few suggestions:
- I think that garlic bread is almost a given! Try my popular vegan garlic knots for a twist on this classic side dish.
- A simple side salad with fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light dressing is a great way to balance out the richness of baked ziti. Try my Israeli salad.
- Get your greens in with a side of macho peas. You could also serve a side of roasted veggies like broccoli, asparagus or Brussels sprouts.
❄️Storage
To store vegan baked ziti, first let it cool to room temperature before putting it in an airtight container. Put it in the refrigerator where it should last up to 3-4 days.
For longer storage, baked ziti can be frozen by transferring it to a freezer-safe container and labeling it with the date. Frozen baked ziti can last up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat the frozen baked ziti, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it in the oven until it is heated through.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
While baked ziti and lasagna may have some similar ingredients, they are different dishes with distinct preparation methods and textures. Unlike lasagna, baked ziti does not typically contain layers of meat or vegetables, and it does not use lasagna noodles.
There are several dishes that would complement vegan baked ziti and create a well-rounded meal. Some ideas include garlic bread, roasted vegetables, salad, vegan meatballs, or grilled mushrooms. These options provide a range of flavors and textures that would balance out the warm, cheesy baked ziti.
Yes! Baked ziti can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free ziti pasta, and ensuring all other ingredients are also gluten-free.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta *or any other pasta shape such as penne, fusilli or macaroni.
Vegan Tofu Ricotta
- 15 ounces tofu extra firm
- 2½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice *approximately juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vegan Baked Ziti
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 14 ounce package vegan beef crumbles
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 28 ounce can San Marzano chopped tomatoes * or another quality chopped tomato.
- 1 15 ounce jar tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190℃).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your ziti pasta and cook for 6 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Your pasta will be slightly undercooked. Don't worry, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- While the pasta is cooking, make your vegan ricotta cheese (or use store-bought). Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the vegan beef crumbles to the pan and saute for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked ziti pasta to the saucepan and stir until the pasta is coated in sauce.
- In a 9x13 inch baking pan, spread half of the pasta and sauce mixture. Dollop the the vegan ricotta cheese on top of the pasta
- Add the remaining pasta and sauce mixture on top of the first layer. Sprinkle with vegan Mozzarella.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the pan and bake for 20 more minutes.
- Allow the vegan ziti bake to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving.
Sana
Brilliant