Vegan Baked Ziti

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!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Servings: people

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

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

US Customary - Metric

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

Serving and Storing – Serve this vegan baked ziti for lunch or dinner. This pasta is delicious with bread, salads, and soup. 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.

Make in Advance - Feel free to prep the night before! Assemble all of the ingredients in the pan, cover, and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. Alternatively, you can freeze 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.

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.

Recipe Tips

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.

Variations - Add your favorite chopped vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini. Top with your favorite vegan parmesan cheese before serving.

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