Vegan Baked Ziti
Delicious baked ziti with a fresh marinara sauce, vegan ricotta and a crunch on top!
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!