Classic Vegan Baked Ziti

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

• 8×10″ casserole dish
• Large pot
• Medium pot
• Spatula
• High-speed blender

How to Make Vegan Baked Ziti

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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).
8. Bake. Place the casserole dish uncovered on the middle oven rack and bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. 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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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!