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This Vegan Baked Ziti is reminiscent of the classic Italian pasta bake you grew up with. It’s layered with a homemade marinara sauce, al dente pasta, stretchy vegan mozzarella, and creamy vegan ricotta. Finish with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan and fresh parsley for the ultimate comfort main. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, hosting a crowd, and hearty weeknight dinners.
Chris used to eat his weight in baked ziti growing up. There was a big tray of the real deal authentic baked ziti at every holiday and family party they had. We always wanted to add to our collection of veganized Italian recipes so once one of our followers from Instagram messaged us asking if we could recreate this classic Italian dish we knew we had to jump on it and accept the challenge.
Developing this vegan baked ziti recipe was so much fun, and we are still amazed by how delicious it turned out. For the filling, we layered sauce, pasta, homemade vegan mozzarella, and homemade vegan ricotta cheese, along with the ziti pasta. We also added a special touch and used vegan sausage which brought the flavor of this Italian dish to the next level.
Ingredients You’ll Need (+ Substitutions)
This vegan baked ziti is made with 3 main components: homemade marinara sauce, vegan mozzarella cheese, and pasta. Here are the key ingredients and their possible substitutions:
- Vegan meat: Both vegan ground beef crumbles and vegan sausage is perfect in this vegan meat sauce. We used Light Life Gimme Lean. If you prefer to avoid vegan meat products and want a completely oil-free, meatless baked ziti, feel free to omit the vegan meat!
- Marinara sauce: Any store-bought or homemade marinara sauce will work well. If using store-bought, double-check the ingredients – some brands contain dairy to add “creaminess” to the marinara sauce.
- Vegan mozzarella shreds: Mozzarella is used in the cheese sauce. Any dairy-free cheese shreds will do.
- Vegan milk: Any unsweetened plant-based milk will work well. Our go-to is almond milk, but feel free to use soy milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc.
- Pasta: Ziti is, of course, the classic choice for baked ziti, but substitute penne noodles or any tubular pasta of choice, as needed.
- Vegan ricotta: Feel free to use store-bought creamy vegan ricotta from brands such as Kite Hill or Tofutti or use our quick and easy homemade tofu ricotta recipe!
Equipment Needed
How to Make Vegan Baked Ziti
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than directed on the package. This will ensure that the pasta does not overcook in the oven.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. In a medium pot over medium heat, add oil. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Brown the vegan ground beef. Once cooked, add in the vegan beef or sausage crumbles, breaking them up with the back of your spoon if needed. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the marinara and seasoning. Add in the marinara sauce, fresh basil, and Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Simmer for about 3 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
- Drain the cooked pasta. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and add them back to the pot. Mix the sauce with a drizzle of olive oil and set.
- Make the cheese sauce. In a small pot over medium heat, prepare the vegan cheese sauce. Add in the vegan butter and allow it to melt. Once melted, add in vegan cheese shreds and almond milk. Whisk together rapidly until a smooth sauce forms.
- Assemble the vegan baked ziti. Grab your baking dish and spread in a few tablespoons of sauce. Add in a thin layer of pasta, followed by a layer of sauce, a drizzle of cheese sauce, and then a sprinkle of vegan ricotta. Continue until you fill the pan or run out of ingredients (we used 4 layers of each).
- Bake. Place the casserole dish uncovered on the middle oven rack and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve. Allow the vegan pasta bake to cool slightly, then garnish with fresh parsley and vegan parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This ziti pasta bake is the perfect dinner main for weeknights, holidays, or large family gatherings. Serve with classic sides such as Vegan Garlic Bread, Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad, or Simple Roasted Vegetables.
Make it a complete Italian feast and serve a Vegan Calamari appetizer and Vegan Cannoli or Vegan Pizzelles for dessert.
Storage Instructions
This vegan baked ziti will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store directly in the casserole dish tightly covered with aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight container.
More Vegan Italian Recipes You May Enjoy:
- The Best Vegan Lasagna
- Vegan White Lasagna with Mushrooms & Spinach
- Easy Vegan Stuffed Shells
- Italian-Inspired Pasta Salad
- Homemade Vegan Egg Pasta
- Herbed Ricotta Ravioli
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Vegan Baked Ziti Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
This Vegan Baked Ziti is reminiscent of the classic Italian pasta bake you grew up with. It’s layered with a homemade marinara sauce, al dente pasta, stretchy vegan mozzarella, and creamy vegan ricotta. Finish with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan and fresh parsley for the ultimate comfort main. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, hosting a crowd and hearty weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce with Vegan Sausage
- 1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 14 ounces vegan beef crumbles or crumbled sausage
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 large handful fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
Remaining Ingredients
- 1 lb. ziti or penne noodles
- ~1/2 cup vegan ricotta cheese
- Vegan parmesan, for garnish
- Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and have a medium to large baking dish ready. The dish we used was 10×8″.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than directed on the package. This will ensure that the pasta does not overcook in the oven.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, add oil. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Once cooked, add in the vegan beef or sausage crumbles, breaking them up with the back of your spoon if needed. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the marinara, basil, and Italian seasoning, and stir through. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3 minutes more and then remove from heat. Set aside until assembly.
- Once the noodles are cooked, drain and a dd them back to the pot. Mix the sauce with a drizzle olive oil and set..
- In a small pot over medium heat, prepare the vegan cheese sauce. Add in the vegan butter and allow it to melt. Once melted, add in vegan cheese shreds and almond milk. Whisk together rapidly until a smooth sauce forms.
- To assemble, grab your baking dish and spread in a few tablespoons of sauce. Add in a thin layer of pasta, followed by a layer of sauce, a drizzle of cheese sauce, and then a sprinkle of vegan ricotta. Continue until you fill the pan or run out of ingredients (we used 4 layers of each).
- Place the dish into the middle rack of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove and allow the ziti to cool. The longer you let it cool, the easier it is to cut into slices and serve.
- Garnish the ziti with fresh parsley and vegan parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are having a hard time breaking up the beef crumbles, you can use a potato masher after you add the sauce to make things easier.
- This recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Keep in mind that as it sits, the noodles may start to absorb some of the liquid. It is best served the day of making it but is still delicious either way.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan, Italian
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
This was the best baked ziti I have ever had vegan or not. Wow. Will absolutely make again. I did I combo of vegan ground (Trader Joe’s) and vegan sausage (Trader Joe’s) that I cut into small pieces. Outrageous!!! Also I love the cheese trick, I will use that again with other recipes that call for vegan cheese.
Great baked ziti recipe! I used beyond meat ground which worked very well. Then I made other changes because I didn’t read all the way through! My apologies. I ended uo putting all marina and ziti together, put in the casserole then poured cheese on top and swirled it in. Turned out well and was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
This recipe was created without the vegan ricotta. It was fantastic! I absolutely loved the taste and texture of the baked Ziti. The recipe was very easy to read and the instructions was very helpful.
Would this be ok if made in advance and frozen?
We haven’t tested it, but I do think it would freeze well!
This was so good I had to comment lmao
Made this for five family members. Everybody went for seconds. Such a creamy and delicious recipe. Can’t wait to make it again.. thanks!!
Great and easy ziti recipe! I did the quick soak for the cashews and worked out perfectly. I did not have the vegan ricotta, so I just added shredded vegan mozzarella and it was fine. I’m sure the ricotta is amazing as well, will try that next time. Everyone raved and went back for seconds. Thank you!
How many people does this recipe serve?
nvm saw the top ! thank you making this this weekend
Can you freeze this casserole?
yes! We would just suggest freezing it after it is cooked and cooled completely for the best results 🙂
Came out delicious thanks for the recipe!
Made this a few weeks ago. Absolutely wonderful. Making it again today. Will snap a picture. My husband is very resistant to most of my vegan recipes but he willing ate this until the leftovers were gone. I shared your link with my vegan daughter. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
Aw yay, that makes me so happy to hear!! 🙂
Baked ziti was a childhood beloved of mine aside from every pasta dish under the sun. I’m kind of over pasta now, but honestly, this dish looks absolutely brilliant with the cheese, perfectly plated noodles, and vibrant sauce! The vegan ricotta and addition of vegan sausage or beef are so clever because they really add heartiness to the dish!
Well we hope that when you’re ready for pasta again, this will be on the top of your list! 🙂
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS:D