This Vegan Baked Ziti is an all time Italian dinner night favorite. The marinara sauce is fresh, bright and full of tomato, garlic and basil flavors which compliment the dish. The vegan ricotta is rich and creamy. All together this is a warm, hearty and very comforting italian dish.
This Vegan Baked Ziti is easy to make and well worth the effort. The more components you can make yourself, the better it tastes and the healtier it is for you and your family.
Vegan Baked Ziti
Delicious baked ziti with a fresh marinara sauce, vegan ricotta and a crunch on top!
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Servings: 6
Ingredients
Tofu Ricotta
- 1 Package Organic firm tofu Drained
- 2 T Nutritional yeast
- 2 T Vegan parmesan Grated
- 2 t Garlic powder
- 2 t Dried basil
- 2 t Dried oregano
- 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 Cup Vegan cream cheese
- Salt and Pepper
Marinara Sauce
- 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can Diced Italian tomatoes
- 6 to 8 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Small Red Onion Diced
- 2 T Tomato paste
- 1 Bunch Fresh basil Chopped
- 1 T Dried oregano
- 2 T Maple Syrup More or less to taste
- Salt and lots of black pepper
Other Ingredients
- 1 lb Whole wheat pasta
- 1 Package Vegan Mozzarella
- 1/3 Cup Bread crumbs
- 4 T Olive oil
- Extra Vegan Parmesan Add to layers and on top
Instructions
Vegan Ricotta
- Slice your tofu into 5 or 6 pieces, wrap in a towel and place under some weight to drain.
- In a bowl, crumble the tofu into small pieces, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Marinara Sauce
- Fill a pot with water and add salt, bring to a boil and cook the pasta. I usually shorten the recommended cook time by a couple minutes because the pasta will also cook in the oven. You can start this before making your Marinara sauce. Reserve some of the pasta water for later.
- Add 2 T olive oil to another pot and saute the onion and garlic until soft and just starting to brown (don't burn the garlic!).
- Take the whole San Marzano tomatoes and with your hands, break them apart a little. They will break down more as they cook, so don't worry about having some large pieces.
- Add all the tomatoes, tomato paste and spices to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- After about 20 minutes, check the taste and add more seasoning, salt, pepper or maple syrup if desired.
Making the Ziti
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- I like to layer my ingredients. In a deep baking dish, spread a layer of marinara sauce on the bottom. Follow with a layer of pasta, a layer of ricotta (drizzle a little pasta water to make it creamy), a layer of marinara and some grated parmesan cheese. Continue until you end with a layer of marinara and parmesan on top.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the last marinara layer and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. I sometimes hit the top with a light sprinkle of garlic salt - Up to You!
- Cover with tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake until the bread crumbs turn golden brown - About 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
NOTE: I typically serve this with some homemade garlic bread and my awesome Vegan Caesar salad with Seasoned Croutons.
NOTE: To change it up, sometime I add some fresh sauted veggies and/or some Gardein Vegan Meatballs!
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Summary
Recipe Name
Vegan Baked Ziti
Author Name
Dan Winchester
Published On
Preparation Time
Cook Time
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