I created this nut-free vegan baked ziti because I wanted a recipe I could serve to guests without worrying, and send with kids to school without issues. The secret is sunflower seed vegan ricotta cheese — it has a mildly sweet, cheesy flavor thanks to nutritional yeast, and rivals any cashew version I've tried.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, AND oil-free. It's creamy, comforting, and the kind of dish that disappears at potlucks.
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Why you'll love this vegan baked ziti recipe
When it comes to vegan pasta dishes, baked ziti is the best comfort food in my book.
I love veganizing comfort food favorites and watching the omnivores gobble them up. Take this vegan lasagna, this stovetop vegan mac and cheese, this vegan lemon risotto, and of course this baked ziti for example.
This particular vegan version of baked ziti is made with a gluten-free pasta, an herbed nut-free vegan ricotta and tomato sauce for a delicious and simple recipe.
It's the perfect dish to serve for special occasions but easy enough for weeknight meals.
This meatless baked ziti is one that the whole family can enjoy and is free from dairy, gluten, nuts, and oil.
Ingredients you'll need
- Chickpea or Lentil Ziti Pasta or Penne Pasta - Using a chickpea or lentil pasta gives this dish a boost of added protein.
- Canned Tomato Sauce - Many brands offer vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and oil-free canned tomato sauces. Just be sure to check the ingredient labels.
- Sunflower Seed Vegan Ricotta - This sunflower seed cheese is made with raw sunflower seed kernels, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, apple cider vinegar, fresh basil, black pepper and garlic powder.
How to make this vegan baked ziti
First, make the sunflower seed ricotta.
You can make this the night before or right before — but an hour in the fridge lets the flavors come together. Worth the wait.
Soak the sunflower seeds in boiling salted water for at least 20 minutes. Here's the thing: the longer you soak, the creamier it gets. If you have time, go 1-2 hours. Overnight is even better.
Drain and rinse with cold water. Add the seeds to a high-powered blender with water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until completely smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the fresh basil, black pepper, and garlic powder. That's your ricotta.
→ Full sunflower seed ricotta recipe with photos
Next, Assemble the Vegan Baked Ziti
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 13x9" casserole dish.
Par-cook your pasta: boil it 4 minutes less than the package says. This matters. If your package says 12 minutes, cook for 8. The pasta finishes cooking in the oven, so don't skip this step or you'll end up with mush.
Drain the pasta and toss it with the remaining sauce and most of the ricotta (save about ¼ cup). Transfer to the baking dish.
Dollop the reserved ricotta on top. Spoon on the reserved sauce around the ricotta spots. Don't stress about making it perfect because it all melts together.
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes until you see it bubbling.
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if you're feeling fancy.
Top tips To Bake the Best Vegan Ziti
- Be sure to gently fold the pasta, sauce and vegan 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.
- The soaking secret: Soak sunflower seeds in salted boiling water. The salt softens the seeds faster and removes any bitter edge. 20 minutes works, but 1-2 hours (or overnight) makes the ricotta noticeably creamier.
Variations
- If you are not avoiding oil, feel free to top off this baked ziti recipe with some vegan mozzarella cheese shreds or vegan Parmesan cheese. You can also add in some sauteed vegan ground beef or other vegan meat such as vegan sausage if you'd like.
- If you prefer, feel free to use homemade tomato sauce or jarred pasta sauce in place of the canned. Just note that most jarred sauces contain oil, but there are a few that do not such as 365 fat free marinara and Simply Nature marinara.
Serving suggestions
If you're not avoiding oil, this baked ziti pairs perfectly with this gluten-free garlic bread and a side of this vegan Italian-style meatballs made with Impossible Burger.
But, if you want to keep the whole meal oil-free, serve with almond flour biscuits, a side salad with oil-free balsamic dressing or my 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!
Storing and reheating
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.
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.
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.
Most vegan baked ziti recipes use cashews, but tree nut allergies are incredibly common, especially in kids. Sunflower seed ricotta is completely nut-free, making this safe for nut-free schools, daycares, and guests with allergies.
Yes, absolutely! Kite Hill and Tofutti make good dairy-free ricottas. Just check labels for nuts and soy if those are concerns.
Nutritional yeast gives it that savory, slightly cheesy flavor. Combined with lemon juice and a touch of apple cider vinegar, it tastes like traditional ricotta.
More vegan pasta recipes
Equipment
- Kettle
- Blender
- Chopper or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 batch sunflower seed ricotta
- 12 oz chickpea or lentil pasta
- 1 (28 oz.) *can oil-free, vegan tomato sauce
- 1 (15 oz.) *can oil-free, vegan tomato sauce
Instructions
- Make the sunflower seed ricotta and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread around with a spoon.
- Boil 3 qts. of water in a 5-qt. pot. Salt the water if desired. Par-cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package directs. For example, if the package's cooking time is 12 minutes, cook the pasta for 8 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 and return to pot.
- Reserve 1 cup of tomato sauce and add the rest to the pasta. Reserve ¼ cup of ricotta and add the rest to the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the pasta to the baking dish. Use a spoon to dollop and lightly spread the ¼ cup reserved ricotta randomly on top of the pasta. Spoon on the 1 cup reserved tomato sauce randomly on top of the pasta around the spots with ricotta.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes or until heated throughout (you should see bubbling). Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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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! 🙂