Pasta is covered in marinara sauce and an herbed tofu ricotta and then topped with a creamy cashew mozzarella in this mouthwatering vegan baked ziti. Perfect for the holidays or any time of the year, it's the ultimate vegan comfort dish! Easy to make gluten-free and oil-free too!
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Why you'll love this vegan baked ziti
Baked ziti is one of those classic comfort food dishes that just seems to make everything better.
I mean, what's not to love about pasta encased in cheesy goodness?
And this vegan version is no exception.
Still cheesy. Still comforting.
I love veganizing comfort food favorites and watching the omnivores gobble them up. Take this vegan lentil lasagna, this stovetop vegan mac and cheese, this vegan lemon risotto, and of course this baked ziti for example.
This baked dish is perfect for family pasta night, serving at parties or making for the holidays.
Ingredients you'll need to make baked ziti vegan
FOR THE TOFU RICOTTA
- Firm Tofu
- Nutritional Yeast
- Lemon Juice
- Sea Salt
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
FOR THE CASHEW MOZZARELLA
- Raw Cashews
- Filtered Water
- Tapioca Starch/Flour
- White Wine Vinegar
- Sea Salt
FOR THE PASTA
- Ziti or Penne Noodles
- Marinara or Tomato Sauce
OPTIONAL
- Olive Oil Spray (for browning the "cheese")
- Fresh Herbs (for garnish)
See recipe card below for measurements.
How to make vegan baked ziti with tofu ricotta and cashew mozzarella
Add the cashews to a glass bowl or Pyrex and cover with boiling water.
Allow them to soak until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 375° F and add 4 quarts of water to a pot and salt if desired.
Bring to a rolling boil.
While waiting for the water to boil, make the tofu ricotta.
Rip the tofu block into pieces and add to the bowl of a food processor.
Add the nutritional yeast, lemon and salt to the food processor.
Pulse until ingredients are well incorporated and mixture resembles the texture of ricotta.
Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Once boiling, add the pasta to the water and stir.
Par-cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package directs.
For example, if the package's cooking time is 10 minutes, cook the pasta for 6 minutes. If the package gives a range, such as 9-11 minutes, use the average and subtract 4 (so in this case, the pasta would cook for 6 minutes).
Drain pasta in a colander.
While the pasta is draining, add 1 cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread around with a spoon.
Add the remaining sauce to the pot the pasta was cooked in or a very large bowl.
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce followed by the tofu ricotta.
Gently fold to combine the ingredients.
Transfer the pasta to the baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
While the pasta is in the oven, make the cashew ricotta.
Add water, tapioca starch, vinegar and salt to a high-powered blender.
Drain and thoroughly rinse the cashews and add to the blender.
Blend until smooth and no chunks of cashews remain.
It will be in a liquid state.
Pour the blended cashew mozzarella mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula (approximately 6-8 minutes).
It will start to form clumps and then firm up more and become stretchy.
Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
Remove the foil from the pasta and use a spoon to dollop the cashew mozzarella over top.
Increase the temperature to 400° F and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or until heated throughout (you should see bubbling).
To give the "cheese" a browning effect, lightly spray the top of the casserole with olive oil and broil for 2-5 minutes until browned to your liking. Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Top tips
- Be sure to gently fold the pasta, sauce and tofu ricotta together until just combined to avoid pasta breakage.
- It's important to undercook the pasta before it is al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven. Overcooking will lead to breakage (even more so if using gluten-free pasta).
Variations and substitutions
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free pasta if needed. All of the other ingredients are already gluten-free. I used Banza chickpea ziti. I also recommend Jovial brown rice penne and Explore Cuisine red lentil penne.
- Oil-Free - Use an oil-free pasta sauce such as 365 fat-free marinara or Simply Nature marinara. You could also use homemade sauce or a canned tomato sauce. Additionally, omit the olive oil spray at the end.
- Nut-Free - Replace the cashew mozzarella with one package of vegan mozzarella-style shreds instead.
- Soy-Free - Replace the tofu ricotta with one batch of sunflower seed ricotta, almond ricotta or cashew ricotta. If using the almond or cashew versions, you will need to add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder as they are not seasoned as written.
- Italian Seasoning - Feel free to use other dried herbs such as parsley and basil, or you can use fresh herbs instead if preferred.
- White Wine Vinegar - Feel free to use distilled white vinegar if preferred in the cashew mozzarella.
- Add-Ins - Try mixing in 4 cups of fresh baby spinach right in with the pasta, sauce and tofu ricotta to add some veg. Or, cook up a package of plant-based beef substitute such as Gardein, Beyond or Impossible in a skillet and mix into the sauce.
Equipment
- Electric Kettle (to boil water quickly for soaking the cashews)
- Food Processor (for making the tofu ricotta)
- High-Powered Blender (for making the cashew mozzarella)
- 13" x 9" Baking Dish
- 2-Quart Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
Ideas for serving meatless baked ziti
If you're not avoiding oil, this baked ziti pairs perfectly with our gluten-free garlic bread, a side of roasted broccoli with garlic or air fryer broccoli, and some of our vegan Italian-style meatballs made with Impossible Burger.
But, if you want to keep the whole meal oil-free, serve with our almond flour biscuits, a side salad with this oil-free balsamic dressing or our creamy vegan white bean soup.
This vegan main is also perfect for meal prep!
And if you're like me and enjoy Italian dishes as part of your winter and spring holiday traditions, it's great for serving at Christmas or Easter too!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the baked ziti can be made a day ahead of time. Follow all of the steps except for baking and then cover tightly with foil and store in the refrigerator. Allow the casserole to sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before baking according to the cooking instructions. You can also leave off the cashew mozzarella if making ahead if you prefer, and make it right before you are going to bake it so that it remains in its stretchy state.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can reheat the ziti in the microwave until warmed throughout in a covered microwave-safe dish. You can also reheat in a 400° F in a covered baking dish until warmed throughout. Line the baking dish with a little sauce before adding the leftover ziti.
Leftover ziti can be frozen for up to 3 months; however, note that this can lead to the pasta breaking after defrosting and reheating. Be sure to freeze in an airtight container with an extra layer of plastic wrap or foil to prevent freezer burn. Allow the ziti to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating following the reheating instructions above.
Recipe
Vegan Baked Ziti
Ingredients
FOR THE TOFU RICOTTA
- 14 oz. firm tofu, excess water drained and patted dry
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
FOR THE PASTA
- 16 oz ziti or penne pasta (gluten-free if needed; I used Banza chickpea ziti)
- 2 (24-25 oz.) jars pasta sauce (*use oil-free sauce for oil-free option)
FOR THE CASHEW MOZZARELLA
- ⅔ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup filtered water
- ¼ cup tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) (measured using spoon and level method)
- 1 ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar (can substitute with white distilled vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
OPTIONAL
- non-aerosol, propellant free olive oil spray (for browning effect; omit for oil-free option)
- fresh chopped parsley or basil (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a glass bowl or Pyrex and cover with boiling water. Allow them to soak until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Add 4 quarts of water to a pot and salt if desired. Bring to a rolling boil.
- While waiting for the water to boil, make the tofu ricotta. Rip the tofu block into pieces and add to the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the nutritional yeast, lemon and salt to the food processor. Pulse until ingredients are well incorporated and mixture resembles the texture of ricotta. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Once boiling, add the pasta to the water and stir. Par-cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package directs. For example, if the package's cooking time is 10 minutes, cook the pasta for 6 minutes. If the package gives a range, such as 9-11 minutes, use the average and subtract 4 (so in this case, the pasta would cook for 6 minutes). Drain pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is draining, add 1 cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread around with a spoon. Add the remaining sauce to the pot the pasta was cooked in or a very large bowl.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce followed by the tofu ricotta. Gently fold to combine the ingredients.
- Transfer the pasta to the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the pasta is in the oven, make the cashew ricotta. Add water, tapioca starch, vinegar and salt to a high-powered blender.
- Drain and thoroughly rinse the cashews and add to the blender. Blend until smooth and no chunks of cashews remain. It will be in a liquid state.
- Pour the blended cashew mozzarella mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula (approximately 6-8 minutes). It will start to form clumps and then firm up more and become stretchy. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
- Remove the foil from the pasta and use a spoon to dollop the cashew mozzarella over top. Increase the temperature to 400° F and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or until heated throughout (you should see bubbling).
- Optional: To give the "cheese" a browning effect, lightly spray the top of the casserole with olive oil and broil for 2-5 minutes until browned to your liking. Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on December 21, 2019. It has been republished to reflect recipe, photo and content revisions.
©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
This pasta dish looks healthy and delicious!!! Sherri, I wanted to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas!!
Sherri Hall
Thanks so much, Dawn! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well! 🙂