This Vegan Baked Ziti with Ricotta layers soft ziti noodles, red lentil meat sauce, and creamy tofu ricotta for a comforting dish made with whole food ingredients.
Baked ziti is like the easier version of lasagna and I'm HERE for it! This baked ziti has a delightful lentil "meat" sauce, creamy tofu ricotta, spinach, and tender ziti pasta.
Don't get me wrong, lasagna is great, but this baked ziti is quicker and easier than lasagna. The pasta is super soft and the entire dish is incredibly creamy.
Plus, this vegan baked ziti is massive. Make a batch on the weekend and have meals for the whole week!
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Why I love this Vegan Baked Ziti with Ricotta
- Dietary needs - this baked ziti is vegan, whole food plant-based, dairy-free, oil-free, and sugar-free
- Easily made gluten-free - sub a gluten free pasta in for regular, an dyou've got yourself a vegan and gluten-free dish!
- Nutrient dense - with protein from lentils in the sauce, tofu in the ricotta, and nutrients in the spinach, this baked ziti is pretty healthy
- Feeds a crowd - this recipe makes a lot of food! It's perfect for leftovers all week or as a family-style meal
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Red Lentil Bolognese
This bolognese is similar to my black lentil bolognese. Red lentils are more available and quicker to cook, so they are great in this recipe!
- Yellow Onion: a white onion would also work here
- Garlic
- Crushed Tomatoes: crushed tomatoes are ideal for this recipe because they are more smooth than diced. I don't recommend subbing any other texture of tomato
- Water
- Red Lentils: find these in the rice and beans section of the store!
- Tomato Paste
- Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
Tofu Ricotta
This is my delicious and easy tofu ricotta. The full recipe is on this page, but for full tips and faq head over to my tofu ricotta recipe page.
- Extra Firm Tofu AND Silken Tofu: the combination of a firmer tofu and a softer tofu creates the curd-like, but still soft texture that we need for lasagna, stuffed shells, or dips. I have not tested this, but it's likely that two blocks of medium firm tofu would produce a similar result
- Nutritional Yeast: this wouldn't be a vegan cheese recipe without nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is known for its cheesy flavor and is the main source of cheesy goodness in this recipe.
- White Miso: White Miso adds a briney flavor that is characteristic of cheeses like mozzarella. I know that sometimes it can be hard to find miso, so I've left this as an optional ingredient, but it is highly recommended. If you do omit the miso, you may find you need more salt
- Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV adds acid to create the tang that most cheeses have. You could also use lemon juice
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
Pasta
- Ziti Pasta: I used regular ziti pasta, but a gluten-free pasta will work in this recipe too! With gluten-free pasta it is especially important to cook the pasta 1-2 minutes below al dente, as stated in the recipe, so the pasta doesn't turn to mush in the oven
- Fresh Spinach: feel free to add in other veggies like broccoli or zucchini. If using other veggies, I recommend steaming them first. Or use frozen!
- Vegan Parm: for topping
- Chopped Fresh Parsley: for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2. Make the bolognese. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, lentils, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for 15 minutes, until the lentils are just tender.
Step 3. Cook the ziti. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and boil for 8-9, or according to the package directions for 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Step 4. Make the vegan ricotta. Pulse all the ricotta ingredients in a food processor, until combined.
Step 5. Assemble the ziti. In a large casserole dish add a fourth of the sauce, then a third of the pasta, a third of the ricotta, and a third of the spinach. Repeat until all the ingredients have been added to the pan - finish with a last layer of sauce.
Step 6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 7. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Top with vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.
FAQ & Expert Tips
A gluten-free pasta will work well in this recipe! With gluten-free pasta it is especially important to cook the pasta 1-2 minutes below al dente, as stated in the recipe, so the pasta doesn't turn to mush in the oven. If you can't find ziti, feel free to sub penne.
Save a few minutes and use a vegan ground beef substitute, like beyond meat, in place of the lentils. If you choose this option, omit the water in the sauce, and simmer for only 10 minutes.
This dish tastes great when reheated in the microwave. You can also leave it in the casserole dish and heat in the oven at 250°F-300°F until warm.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this comforting food that nourishes us, body and soul. Let this food fill us and keep us healthy. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Baked Ziti with Ricotta
Ingredients
Red Lentil Bolognese
- 1 Large Yellow Onion diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 ½ Cups Water
- ⅔ Cup Red Lentils
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Tofu Ricotta
- 1 14 Ounce Block Extra Firm Tofu
- 8 Ounces Silken Tofu
- 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon White Miso optional
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Salt
Pasta
- 1 Pound Ziti Pasta
- 12 Ounces Fresh Spinach
- Vegan Parm for topping
- Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make the bolognese. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, lentils, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for 15 minutes, until the lentils are just tender.
- Cook the ziti. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and boil for 8-9, or according to the package directions for 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Make the vegan ricotta. Pulse all the ricotta ingredients in a food processor, until combined.
- Assemble the ziti. In a large casserole dish add a fourth of the sauce, then a third of the pasta, a third of the ricotta, and a third of the spinach. Repeat until all the ingredients have been added to the pan - finish with a last layer of sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Top with vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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