If you’re a pasta fan, you’ll fall in love with this AMAZING easy vegan baked ziti. This classic Italian American dish is loaded with flavor, from rich tomatoes to the melted blend of dairy free cheeses and fresh basil. Adding Beyond Meat creates a classic feel but is totally optional.
Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C). Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove; cook pasta according to package directions. Cook your pasta al dente (about 10 minutes), so that it's slightly undercooked. It will soften up in the oven.
Meanwhile, saute diced onions in a large frying pan on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. You can use a water saute or a small amount of olive oil if you wish. Add defrosted Beyond beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, breaking up with a spatula as you go along.
Add marinara sauce and stir. I like to thin out my marinara by adding ¼ cup of water into the empty jar (seal and shake) to collect all those last bits of sauce. For more flavor, you can use white cooking wine. Stir sauce and turn off heat.
After pasta is cooked and drained, it’s time to prepare your casserole! In a 9 x 13 greased baking dish, add cooked ziti noodles. Next, add the sauce and vegan parmesan. Stir to coat the pasta and spread out evenly in baking dish. Top with vegan mozzarella and cover with foil.
Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on top. You can remove the foil after 15 minutes to check and leave off for the remaining 5 minutes if you want your cheese to brown a bit.
Let the baked ziti sit for 5 minutes to cool. Top with fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Don't want imitation meat? Swap out the Beyond beef for one of these vegetable options, or add in for a healthier kick:
Zucchini (one, sliced)
Frozen spinach (1 cup defrosted, drained, and squeezed)
Butternut, acorn, or yellow squash ( 1 cup cubed)
Bell peppers (1 diced)
Olives (½ cup)
When do you add them? I recommend stirring any vegetables into your marinara sauce in step 3, and heating until cooked through. You can then proceed with the recipe as instructed.Final notes:
Can’t find ziti? Try looking for penne, rigatoni, or macaroni instead. If you want to make it gluten-free, purchase a gluten-free pasta of your choice– preferably tube-shaped but spirals will absolutely work here too.
My favorite brands to use are Follow Your Heart parmesan shreds and Daiya mozzarella shreds. Daiya can be easily found in most grocery stores. If you can’t find the vegan parmesan, you can always swap it out for more Daiya or another dairy free shredded cheese, like Violife or So Delicious.
I recommend cooking this dish covered with foil for the first 15 minutes, to make sure that all the cheese mixed throughout melts. For the last 5 minutes of baking, you can remove the foil to let the cheese on top brown, if desired.
You can prepare the vegan ziti casserole and place in the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking. OR wrap in foil (or plastic) and keep frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before heating. Bake at 350° F (176° C) for 1 hour, or until heated through.