Italian Vegan Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is pure cozy comfort with an Italian accent. Savory tofu ricotta stands in for the classic cheese without missing a beat imbued with deeply umami flavor thanks to miso, nutritional yeast, and tahini. Beneath it, a hearty tomato sauce loaded with mushrooms, garlic, and crumbled tempeh simmers into something bold enough to make a meat eater blush, clinging to every tube of toothsome pasta. Baked until bubbling and lightly bronzed, this is the kind of dish that feels nostalgic and nourishing at the same time, like an ace up your sleeve that you pull out when you want everyone at the table to linger a little longer.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Total Time1 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Hannah Kaminsky

Ingredients

Tofu Ricotta

14 ounces extra firm-tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2-4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Baked Ziti

16 ounces whole wheat ziti, penne, or rigatoni or gluten-free pasta
1 medium yellow onion diced
water, as needed
10-12 ounces cremini or button mushrooms roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces tempeh crumbled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups oil-free marinara sauce or 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the tofu ricotta, thoroughly drain the tofu before crumbling it into a food processor. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Blend until creamy, slowly drizzling in additional water as needed, until it reaches the consistency of thick hummus.
Cook the pasta just slightly shy of al dente so it doesn't become mushy when baked. Rinse with cold water to immediately stop the cooking process and thoroughly drain. Set aside.
Set a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the onion along with a small splash of water, just to prevent it from sticking, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the mushrooms have released their liquid and softened; 4 – 6 minutes. Crumble the tempeh directly into the pan, followed by the balsamic vinegar and oregano.
Continue to cook, stirring periodically, for about 5 minutes, adding more water as needed so that nothing sticks or burns. Gently pour in the marinara or diced tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. It should be thick and rich.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350℉ degrees.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, folding gently to coat. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer half of the mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer. Dollop half of the tofu ricotta on top and gently spread it to more or less cover; there are no points for perfection here so don’t worry if the layers blend together. Top with the remaining sauced pasta and finish with the rest of the ricotta. Smooth out the top, then cover with foil.
Bake for 25 minutes, carefully uncover, then bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, until lightly browned all over.
Garnish with extra fresh basil if desired. Enjoy hot!

Notes

Serving suggestions: Lighten the load with a leafy green salad on the side. Simple steamed or roasted vegetables, like green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or snap peas are all great supporting players, too.

Notes: What’s in a name? It turns out the ziti pasta (long, smooth tubes) is surprisingly hard to find these days, especially in a whole grain format. Fortunately, any tube-shaped noodle will do, such as penne (pointed tubes, often ridged) or rigatoni (shorter, wider, ridged tubes).

Baked ziti is the ultimate make ahead and freezer-friendly staple. You can prep and assemble up to a day in advance if storing in the refrigerate. Bake when ready, adding 5 – 10 minutes if it’s still cold when it goes into the oven. For a long-term solution, freeze for up to 2 months, thawing completely on the counter before baking as before.

Nutrition