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Set up your diving board and water slide because you will be 100% psyched about drowning in this heavenly vegan baked ziti. This is gonna be the absolute star of any vegan potluck you go to and an easy crowd-pleaser to serve vegan skeptics.
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Vegan can be hearty, comforting, and yes, insanely friggin' delicious. Looking for the perfect masterpiece to scoop up with vegan garlic bread? The best excuse you ever needed to serve my vegan tiramisu made with espresso-soaked vegan ladyfingers and homemade dairy-free mascarpone after for dessert? This is it, and your family will love it so much they will pick you up and give you the dang key to the city! The city of pasta.
And here's the kicker: you're 100% not going to screw this up. I have made it impossible to get this wrong with clear steps and a foolproof plan. Yes, you're about to make the best Vegan Baked Ziti that will have everyone asking for seconds. Let's get this goodness in your oven ASAP!
This recipe by Chef Sobel is by far the best baked ziti we have had. Our guests said they would not believe this to be vegan! So cheesy too…can't wait to have leftovers!!!
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🥰Why you'll adore this vegan baked ziti recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Just like all of my vegan Italian recipes, this Vegan Baked Ziti doesn't need a speck of animal products to be absolutely bangin'.
🔬 Perfect Pasta Texture: By cooking the ziti to al dente perfection before baking, we ensure it soaks up the marinara and cheese sauce, giving you that irresistible bite without any mushiness, and with the top and edges just a wee bit crispy like we love.
🧀 Cheese Sauce Magic: This recipe is made extra lovely by using three cheeses, including one that's been pre-melted with garlic into a bit of a sauce. It gives you the perfect balance of creamy and stretchy cheese vibes without dairy.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I share, after tweaking and perfecting it, I shared it with a massive team of recipe testers who replicated it successfully all around the world.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🥫Ingredients for vegan baked ziti
Vegan Italian Sausage
While you could make this recipe with my vegan bolognese instead (made with vegan beef crumbles), I made a quick meaty sauce in this ziti recipe so that you could nail a similar vibe more quickly, either using my vegan Italian sausage recipe, or by using a crumbled store-bought vegan sausage of your choice. Another option is to just brown pieces of my vegan chicken or vegan ground beef and use that in the sauce, or if you are looking to make this recipe gluten-free, you could swap it out for soy curls instead.
Marinara
A slammin' marinara sauce is a simple tomato sauce seasoned with herbs like basil and oregano. You can make your own vegan marinara from my recipe, or use a store-bought one. If you like spice, add a tiny spoonful of crushed red pepper flakes, or shatta to your pasta sauce, or use an arrabbiata sauce instead of marinara.
Vegan Mozzarella Shreds
These shreds melt and stretch, mimicking the beloved qualities of traditional mozzarella, but are made from coconut oil, cashew nuts, or tapioca. Vegan mozzarella cheese brings a gooey, creamy texture to it, which is 100% essential for that classic baked ziti feel. No vegan mozzarella? I know this sounds surprising, but you can make this ziti using my fermented vegan cream cheese in place of mozzarella.
Vegan Ricotta Cheese
Vegan ricotta cheese is a lighter, plant-based version of the classic Italian cheese. My vegan ricotta is made from soaked almonds and is crazy fast and easy to make. Otherwise, decent store-bought vegan ricottas are available from Kite Hill and other companies, or you can make nut-free tofu ricotta in a food processor.
Vegan Parmesan
This is optional. My vegan parmesan recipe is GRATE for grating (see what I did there?), or shaving into thin strips to garnish your hot baked ziti. If unavailable, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast mixed with ground nuts can offer a sorta similar flavor boost.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Sicilian-Style Baked Ziti: After writing and testing this recipe at home in NJ, I am actually in Palermo RIGHT NOW as I edit and re-write some of the instructions. (My wife's family is from a little Sicilian town called Gagliano in the middle of the Island). Anyway, add a healthy dose of lemon zest to your ricotta, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the kind in oil) and capers (Sicilians use the salted ones, but give them a rinse if you use them) into the marinara sauce for a tangy, slightly sweet contrast.
Baked Ziti alla Norma: This is a baked ziti twist on the classic Pasta alla Norma, hailing from Catania, Sicily (it's on the far side of the Island, closer to mainland Italy). To make this variation, layer thin slices of roasted, fried or grilled eggplant between the pasta and sauce. The eggplant adds a meaty texture and smoky flavor that complements the marinara beautifully.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make this Vegan Baked Ziti recipe
Nail this on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Downtown Julie Brown:
Warm up the olive oil in a big saucepan or skillet on medium-high for 90 seconds. Then, toss in the crumbled vegan sausage (or other vegan substitute) and chopped onions. Sauté for about six to seven minutes until the onions look soft and the sausage gets a slight browning.
Step Two
Sausage Sauce:
Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with your cooked sausage and onions, and give it a stir. Once heated throughout, set aside.
Step Three
Buttery Garlic Base:
In a small saucepan or sauté pan, melt the vegan butter over a medium flame. Slide in your garlic, and give it a gentle sauté until the bits of garlic are just fragrant but not dark in color.
Step Four
Ain't Easy Being Vegan Cheesy:
Turn down the heat and sprinkle the vegan mozzarella shreds into the garlic butter. Stir it up till everything's nicely melted together. Gradually mix in the plant-based milk to get a smooth, thick creamy sauce, then remove it from the heat.
Step Five
Pasta Prep:
Get your oven heating up to 400°F (200°C). Cook the ziti noodles as the box directs until it's slightly al dente. Drain it well under running water to get rid of some of the extra starch.
Steps Six to Nine
Layering Logic:
Grab a 13-inch baking dish or oven-safe large baking dish of your choice and smear some sauce on the bottom. Start layering your ziti pasta, then sauce, followed by a generous spread of the vegan cheese sauce, and dollops of ricotta on top of the pasta. Keep going until you run out of all of the components.
Step Ten
For Goodness, Bake:
Cover your masterpiece with foil and bake it in the oven for 25 minutes. Whip off the foil, then give it another 6 minutes to get everything bubbly and slightly crispy on top.
Step Eleven
Garnish & Serve:
Let it cool for a short while, so no one melts their face off or anything, then sprinkle with fresh parsley and a generous handful of grated or shaved vegan parmesan before serving it.
💡Serving Ideas
This luscious baked pasta dish is the centerpiece of your meal.
As a starter, you can serve my daughters' favorite Escarole and White Bean Soup. It's simple, rustic comforting flavors provide a wonderful start to your meal.
For sides, nothing beats the classic pairing of vegan ziti with bread, so why not smash this crazy-good Vegan Garlic Bread?
Of course, we all know the only reason you are even making dinner is an excuse to serve dessert right? Make one of my Italian classic sweets like vanilla custard stuffed bomboloni, or passion fruit panna cotta.
👉Top tips
- Salt the Pasta Water: This might seem minor, a no-brainer if you are used to making spaghetti and vegan meatballs like, all the friggin' time, but salting your pasta water is crucial. It's your best chance to season the cooked pasta itself. A good rule of thumb is about a tablespoon of salt per pound ( a bit less than 500g.) of pasta.
- Undercook Pasta Slightly: Since the pasta will continue to cook in the oven (and it will also absorb the flavors of the sauce and cheese), boil it until just under al dente. This prevents it from becoming too soft and mushy after baking. Aim for about 1-2 minutes less than the cooking timerecommended on the package for the perfect texture.
- Layering Technique: Start with a sauce layer at the bottom of your casserole dish to prevent sticking, and don't skimp on the final top layer of cheese. This ensures a moist interior and a beautifully browned, crispy top. Don't worry about mixing things together. There is so much sauce and cheese in this recipe that as the ziti bakes covered initially, all the good stuff will permeate every nook and cranny of the pasta.
- Garlic Freak? Layer some roasted garlic cloves with the pasta, and bake the whole thing full of garlicky goodness, why don't cha?
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
The recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta. My personal favorite, if you can find it, is the brown rice pasta from Tinkyada. If you use any other store-bought ingredients (like vegan beef crumbles), make sure they are all certified gluten-free if that is a concern for you.
Baked ziti isn't just amazing with other classic Italian dishes. It's such a crowd-pleasing dish that it is something I've regularly served at vegan weddings I cater for alongside vegan Mediterranean and Turkish recipes. Try serving it with a classic Turkish dish like a salad with ezme, olive oil braised kereviz or runner beans. You will not be disappointed!
❄️Refrigeration:
After cooling to room temperature, transfer the Vegan Baked Ziti into an airtight container. It can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days.
🥶Freezing:
If you want to freeze it, first let the dish cool completely. Then, transfer it into a freezer-safe container. You can freeze Vegan Baked Ziti for up to two months.
🌡️Thawing:
To thaw frozen baked ziti, place the container in the refrigerator overnight or until completely thawed.
🔥 Oven Reheating:
For a crispy top and evenly warm dish, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer the Vegan Baked Ziti to an oven-safe dish if it's not already in one. Sprinkle it with water so it doesn't dry out, and cover it with aluminum foil. Heat for about 25 minutes or until heated through. If it was refrigerated, it might need less time, so check after 20 minutes.
⚡️ Microwave Reheating:
For a quick reheat, place a single serving of Vegan Baked Ziti in a microwave-safe dish. Cover it with a microwave-safe lid or a plate to avoid splatters. Heat on high for two to three minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. The time might vary based on the microwave's power, so adjust accordingly.
🍳 Stovetop Reheating:
Don't want to heat up your whole oven and house just to warm up a single serving? Simply scoop the desired amount into a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of water or extra marinara to prevent it from drying out. Cover the pan and heat for about 8-10 minutes, until thoroughly warmed.
✨Extra pizzaz
Making your own marinara sauce takes about as much time and skill as getting one from a grocery store! Homemade marinara sauce not only provides an extra opportunity to upgrade and customize the flavors, but having some extra homemade tomato sauce on hand is nice to ladle on top of the portioned servings of ziti to freshen it up if it gets dry from storing and reheating.
✌️Things to use in this baked ziti recipe:
Learn to make plant-based red sauce masterpieces in a super-fun recorded cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Vegan Baked Ziti Recipe
Ingredients
Meaty Marinara:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups vegan Italian sausage crumbled or diced
- ½ cup onion diced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
Cheese:
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 ½ cups vegan mozzarella shreds
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
To assemble and serve:
- 1 lb. dried ziti or penne pasta
- 2 cups vegan ricotta cheese
Garnishes:
- ¼ cup grated vegan parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- Basil leaves optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or non-reactive skillet. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the vegan Italian sausage and diced onion, cooking for 6-7 minutes until the onion is soft and the sausage is slightly browned.
- Stir marinara sauce into the skillet with the sausage and onion. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
- In a separate saucepan, melt vegan butter over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes until fragrant, but not browned.
- Reduce the heat to low and add vegan mozzarella shreds to the pan with garlic, stirring until the cheese has melted. Slowly mix in unsweetened plant-based milk until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cook dried ziti or penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
- Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce at the bottom of a 13-inch baking dish. Layer some pasta over this, followed by more sauce, about half of the cheese sauce, and a layer of ricotta. Repeat these layers until the dish is full and you've used all the ingredients.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the ziti for 25 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 6 minutes.
- To serve, let it cool briefly before adding a garnish of fresh parsley, fresh basil, and a generous dose of grated vegan parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
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Kim Elliott says
This was very delicious. It came together much quicker than I thought it would. I had leftovers today and it was just as good!
Kelly says
This recipe by Chef Sobel is by far the best baked ziti we have had. Our guests said they would not believe this to be vegan! So cheesy too…can’t wait to have leftovers!!!
Paula says
What sausage did you use?
Adam Sobel says
I use this one from my site, but you could use Field Roast or another store bought brand if you don't want to make your own.
Kelsey says
5 picky boys… all ate all their plates, one asked for seconds, and one asked for thirds.
That should tell you enough. Thank you!!
Adam Sobel says
That's what's up! ❤️
Liz says
This was a fantastic recipe and so much fun to make since you could make the ricotta and marinara from scratch. I made this for our non-vegans friends and they were impressed! Thank you, Adam, for another great recipe.
Kathleen McKee says
Wow, this is good! The instructions are clear and precise. Perfect mix of the cheeses and the tip to leave the pasta slightly firm before baking is key. This even gets better the next day as a leftover. Can’t wait to have this again, it was so delicious!