Vegan Baked Ziti
Vegan baked ziti is a blend of ziti noodles, in a cashew basil cheese sauce and homemade marinara, with lentil meat and mushrooms baked to a golden brown in the oven. This vegan baked ziti is a family favorite topped with vegan parmesan cheese.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 344kcal
Ingredients
CASHEW BASIL CHEESE SAUCE
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight
- ½ cup organic vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup fresh basil tightly packed
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
MARINARA SAUCE
Lentil Meat
- 1 yellow onion diced small (yield 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms I used white button mushrooms, sliced
- 15 ounces organic diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- ¼ cup organic vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups cooked brown lentils I used Trader Joes 17.6 ounce package of steamed, cooked lentils
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Other Ingredients
- 16 ounces ziti pasta Penne can be used as a substitution
- ½ cup Vegan Parmesan cheese
- Basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cashew Basil Cheese Sauce
- In a high-speed blender, combine soaked cashews and remaining ingredients.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Set aside.
Lentil Meat
- In a large skillet, saute garlic and onions until onions are translucent.
- Add sliced mushrooms, and cook until brown.
- If vegetables begin to stick, add a small amount of vegetable broth.
- Then, add cooked lentils, oregano, basil, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Stir until heated through; remove from heat.
Cook the Pasta
- While the lentil meat is cooking, cook the noodles for 3 FEWER minutes than indicated on the package.
- Drain and set aside.
Layering the Vegan Baked Ziti
- In a 9 X 13 casserole dish, pour ⅓ of the sauce in the pan's base and spread around to cover the bottom.
- Now add ½ of the noodles, creating a layer on top of the sauce.
- Then, add a layer of the lentil meat mixture on top of the noodles.
- Spread ½ of the cashew basil cheese on top of the lentil meat mixture.
- Top with another ⅓ of the marinara sauce, and spread on top of the cheese layer, spreading evenly.
- Next, repeat with the remaining noodles, lentil meat mixture, cashew basil cheese sauce, ending with a top layer of the remaining marinara sauce.
- Place the pan uncovered into the over for 30 minutes
- 10 minutes before it is done cooking, add a vegan parmesan cheese layer and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Scoop into bowls and serve with a basil garnish and more vegan parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Instead of using cashews, try sunflower seeds for a nut-free option. Or, use silken tofu or white beans as an option as well. But, if using silken tofu or white beans, reduce the vegetable broth by one-half.
- If using jarred sauce, choose a jar with at least 25 ounces, but no more than 32 ounces.
- I like to make the vegan ziti recipe ahead of time, and then I can throw it in the oven when I'm ready to cook it for dinner.
- Another idea is to freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays when lemons are in season to use throughout the year.
- Always place sauce on the bottom of the pan in a thin layer, covering the bottom to prevent sticking and keep the noodles from drying out.
- If you don't like or don't have nutritional yeast, try using soy sauce, Tamari, liquid aminos, or white miso paste. Use ½ Tablespoon of soy sauce (or other alternatives) for every Tablespoon of nutritional yeast.
- I suggest serving it with an Italian chopped salad with creamy Italian dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 764mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 5mg