This incredibly easy vegan baked ziti recipe is made with creamy homemade ricotta, penne pasta, and savory marinara sauce for one of the best vegan pasta dishes around! Homemade baked ziti is great for whenever you want a quick and satisfying meal that will satisfy vegans and omnivores alike!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Vegan baked pasta dishes, such as this all-time favorite ziti, are great for nights at home whenever you are craving comfort food with warm flavors. With a perfect crispy topping, this cheesy pasta recipe is full of tasty ingredients that will satisfy anyone.
Assembled in one dish, this vegan baked ziti does not require a lot of steps and is great for those busy weeknights. Or make it in advance and stick it in the freezer until you are ready to enjoy. No matter your skill level in the kitchen, you will be able to master this delicious recipe in no time.
This vegan and family-friendly recipe delivers all the best flavors that you love about baked ziti with fresh tomato sauce and homemade vegan ricotta! Serve it with your favorite garlic bread or toast to make a complete meal.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This penne pasta recipe doesn't take much! With some pantry-friendly ingredients and a couple of staples from the fridge, you can create your own delicious baked ziti. Read the ingredient notes below to discover some shortcuts and substitutions.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: I use penne pasta for baked ziti because it is thick and really absorbs the sauce well. Make sure to boil the pasta until al dente and double check the package directions because every kind of pasta is different.
- Vegan Ricotta Cheese: I recommend making your own plant based ricotta cheese at home. Or, to save on time, feel free to pick up your favorite storebought ricotta. I recommend Kite Hill brand.
- Marinara Sauce: Marinara sauce is rich in tomatoes and a great sauce for this recipe because it is robust and tastes amazing with the ricotta. Use your favorite store brought variety or make your own!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is great because it delivers more savory flavors, but if you are limited, ground garlic will be fine. For each garlic clove, use ⅛ teaspoon of ground garlic.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a blend of different spices and herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, and sometimes marjoram. This herb blend comes in handy for most Italian-style recipes.
Recommended Equipment
To make this vegan baked ziti, you will need some basic kitchen utensils, a medium saucepan, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a colander, and a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. <<< affiliate links.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Boil the Pasta
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are making your ricotta by hand, make it according to these instructions. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a large saucepan bring 6 cups of water to a rapid boil.
Cook the pasta according to the package's instructions or until it is al dente. Carefully drain the cooked pasta and cool it with running water to prevent it from cooking more. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Don't worry if the pasta if it is a little undercooked, it will cook more in the oven.
Step Two – Assemble the Ziti
First, spread a couple of spoonfuls of marinara sauce to the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish. Evenly spread about ½ of the cooked pasta over the marinara sauce and top it with half of the remaining tomato sauce.
Next, evenly sprinkle vegan ricotta cheese over the top of the pasta along with red pepper flakes, garlic, Italian seasoning, minced basil, salt, and pepper.
Repeat the above steps and layer the baked ziti with the remaining pasta, tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and seasonings so that all your ingredients are incorporated.
Step Three – Bake the Ziti
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the ricotta cheese is nice and browned and the marinara sauce is bubbling on the sides.
Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Serve this vegan baked ziti for lunch or dinner. This pasta is delicious with bread, salads, and soup.
Storing – Store the leftover baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Freeze the pasta in a freezer-safe container for four months.
Reheating - To reheat the pasta, bake the frozen pasta at 350°F preheated for 30-34 minutes until the marinara sauce is bubbling and the pasta is heated all the way through. You can also warm chilled ziti in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Salt your pasta water! You only get one chance to make sure your pasta is seasoned, so make sure to take the opportunity. Pasta cooking water should taste about as salty as seawater for best results.
- Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid mushy pasta. If you use thicker or thinner noodles, I recommend following the box’s instructions to cook the pasta al dente. Cook times can range from 5 to 6 minutes to 12 or more depending on the variety.
- Make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten-free variety of pasta.
- Want more? Add your favorite chopped vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini. Top with your favorite vegan parmesan cheese before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't worry about covering the ziti while baking. You want the topping to get nice and brown with a slight crisp.
Be sure there is plenty of sauce covering the noodles to make sure they do not get dry! If you are noticing the noodles are getting dry, add a little extra marinara sauce over the top.
This recipe is so easy to prep the night before! Assemble all of the ingredients in the pan and place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake the ziti. Alternatively, you can free the ziti up for 4 months and bake it straight from the freezer when you are ready to enjoy. Bake it until the marinara starts to bubble and the ziti is cooked all the way through.
Allow the baked pasta to rest for five to ten minutes after removing it from the oven to allow it to cool down and set.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Vegan Penne with Vodka Sauce
- Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Pumpkin Alfredo (Vegan)
- Creamy Hummus Pasta
- Easy Mac and Cheese
Be sure to check out all of my yummy pasta recipes for more weeknight inspiration!
Vegan Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta, uncooked
- ½ cup vegan ricotta cheese Your recipe
- 3 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced basil
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Cook until al dente. It's okay if the pasta is a little underdone; it will continue cooking in the oven. Once ready, drain the pasta and rinse it under cool water to stop the cooking.
- Make the vegan ricotta cheese according to these instructions. Alternatively, you could look for store bought vegan ricotta. My go-to brand is Kite Hill.
- In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish add a couple of spoonfuls of the marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish. Add about ½ of the pasta and top with about half of the remaining tomato sauce. Next, sprinkle about ¼ cup of vegan ricotta over the top along with half of the garlic, pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, minced basil, salt, and pepper. Repeat and layer the remaining pasta, tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and spices.
- Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the ricotta cheese has browned. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Salt your pasta water! You only get one chance to make sure your pasta is seasoned, so make sure to take the opportunity. Pasta cooking water should taste about as salty as seawater for best results.
- Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid mushy pasta. If you use thicker or thinner noodles, I recommend following the box’s instructions to cook the pasta al dente. Cook times can range from 5 to 6 minutes to 12 or more depending on the variety.
- Make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten-free variety of pasta.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Karen Becker says
Yummy! I made this dish tonight with homemade marinara sauce and your ricotta recipe. My husband and son love pasta and couldn’t stop eating it. lol I will definitely be making this again!