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VEGAN BAKED ZITI

top down view of freshly made vegan baked ziti with items surrounding.
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5 from 13 reviews

This vegan baked ziti made with pantry staples is the BEST! It’s easily customizable, easy to make, and a perfect family meal everyone will love!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 oz. pasta (ziti, penne or rigatoni)
  • parsley, to serve

Tomato Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
  • 2 cans (28oz.) San Marzano whole tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon EACH dried thyme & oregano (sub with 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning)
  • salt + pepper, to taste

Cashew Ricotta Cheese

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 3/4 cup water
  • juice of 1 small lemon or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon EACH garlic & onion powder

Instructions

Cashew Ricotta: Soak the cashews in warm water for 5 – 10 minutes, drain. In a blender cup, place the cashews, water, lemon juice, garlic & onion powder and salt, blend until creamy smooth. Set aside.

Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Tomato Sauce: In a medium pot, heat the oil/water over medium heat and saute the onion for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, continue cooking over medium heat for 7 – 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as you cook. Taste for flavor.

Assemble: In a casserole or medium-large baking dish, combine the sauce and pasta together, mixing well to incorporate the bits of tomato throughout. Top with vegan ricotta and cover.

Bake: Place on the center rake and bake for 30 minutes, removing the cover after 20 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, top with chopped parsley or basil.

Serves 6

Serve in individual bowls with a light dusting of Almond Parmesan.

Store: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 – 5 days. To store longer, store in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months.

Notes

Make it quicker + easier. For ease, use 4 cups of store bought bottled marinara (or your favorite pasta sauce) or make this homemade Marinara Sauce ahead of time, doubling the recipe. If using bottled sauce, simply combine the unheated sauce with the cooked pasta and continue the recipe.

Add protein. For additional protein, add  1 – 2 sliced vegan sausages or canned lentils (about 1 – 1 1/2 cups) to the sauce.

Make it nut-free. Those with nut allergies can use this Tofu Ricotta in place of the cashew ricotta cheese used here.

Go gluten-free. Use GF pasta such as one that uses chickpea, rice or quinoa flour.

Make ahead. To make ahead, simply prepare as directed, without baking, and store in the fridge for a few days or freeze for up to 2 – 3 months before baking. Bake from chilled or frozen as the recipe instructs.

Recipe edited: I’ve updated the recipe to include an extra can of tomatoes so there will plenty of juices!

Find it online: https://simple-veganista.com/vegan-baked-ziti/