Vegan Baked Ziti

Vegan baked ziti is an easy pasta dish that is full of comfort and makes a great main course for the holidays and cold winter nights. An Italian-American classic inspired by traditional Pasta al Forno. This dish uses lentils to replace meat and is so good!

I have to be honest growing up I was a bad little Italian child because I hated baked pastas. Baked ziti was not for me. I hated lasagna. And I tolerated manicotti (recipe in my cookbook). It took me a bit of time to learn how to love it. A big part of that though was realizing that I do not like my baked pastas to be very crispy on top. Therefore, my baked ziti (in this case baked penne) isn’t burnt to a crisp on top just enough so you get a few crispy pieces but it still is mostly soft.

Vegan Ricotta

So, I have a confession… I actually cheated and used store bought vegan ricotta for this. There was some of the Kite Hill one left in my fridge from the Appetizer Board so I made my life simple. I have made vegan ricotta many times and it isn’t hard at all. So, if you want to make it yourself go for it I have a recipe for it here! However, the Kite Hill one was very delicious and I was impressed. I believe Tofutti makes one too.

Pasta Choice

I decided to use chickpea pasta. I have really grown to love it and I also love the added nutrients and protein. So, for all my gluten free friends this recipe is actually completely gluten free! But you can use any pasta you like for this. It comes down to preference. Just make sure to use a long tube-like pasta. I went with penne. You can use ziti (duh), rigatoni, even mezzi rigatoni. Those types of shapes work best here.

Pomi Tomatoes

I feel like everyone has a brand of tomatoes they are loyal to and that they tend to use. If you aren’t a Pomi fan no worries use any strained tomatoes or tomato sauce you like. I happen to like Pomi because they have great flavor and color. If you already have a pasta sauce recipe you like feel free to use that too. If you are feeling lazy grab some Rao’s Marinara, there are plenty of options for how to make the sauce. You will see in the recipe we add some sugar to the sauce that helps with the acid in the tomatoes.

FAQ

• Can I make this ahead of time? You can assemble it in the morning or night before if eating earlier in the day, place it in the fridge covered and then bake it accordingly to when you want to eat.
• Do I have to use 2 different vegan mozzarella? No of course not. If you want to use 1 cup of vegan mozzarella shreds that works totally fine. I just like variety on top.
• Any fun variation ideas? Totally, you can add in vegetables, vegan meats. I had toyed around with the idea of making it like a vodka or cream sauce. So many options.
• Side dish ideas? I think this would pair perfectly with my Cheesy Garlic Bread and Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli with Tahini Basil Sauce! Of course a side salad is always great too.

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Vegan Baked Ziti

A delicious vegan version of a classic Italian-American dish. Filled with lentils for a meaty feel and made with lots of flavor this makes it a perfect dinner!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine Italian American

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup (135g) lentils
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
• ⅓ Vidalia or sweet onion chopped (about 3.5 ounces/100g)
• 5 cloves garlic chopped (about .5 ounces/2g)
• 1 box (26.46 ounces/750g) Pomi strained tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon (12g) organic sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces (336g) pasta of choice
• 1 container (8 ounces/227g) Kite Hill ricotta
• ½ block (4 ounces/113g) Miyokos vegan mozzarella, cubed
• ½ cup (56g) vegan mozzarella shreds

Instructions

 

• Boil lentils for about 30 minutes or until soft. Cover with water and boil over high heat. If necessary, add more water.
• When the lentils are done sauté the onion and garlic in the oil in a large pan for 2 to 3 minutes over medium low heat. Add a pinch of salt to help them sweat, just until turning slightly translucent.
• Then add in the lentils, Pomi tomatoes, sugar, and salt. I like to fill the Pomi container about halfway with water and add that into the pan. Let sauce simmer for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Cook pasta according to box directions or to your preferred doneness.
• Once the sauce is done simmering it should be thickened and have good flavor. If you need to adjust any seasonings do so now.
• Combine the pasta and sauce together in the pan. Then add most of your vegan ricotta, leaving a bit to add on top of the pasta.
• Transfer into a large baking dish (9 x 13) and spread the pasta out. I like to fill my pan where I made the sauce with a little water to just get any remaining sauce out and pour it on the pasta.
• Top with both of the vegan mozzarella, and the vegan ricotta.
• Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and broil on high for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how crispy you like the top. Please watch the pasta to make sure it doesn’t burn.
• Garnish with fresh oregano, fresh parsley, or fresh basil if desired and serve.

Video

Keyword baked ziti, christmas main dish idea, christmas recipes, holiday recipes, vegan baked ziti

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