Vegan Baked Ziti

This vegan baked ziti recipe comes together with layers of saucy noodles, hearty mushrooms, and creamy cashew ricotta. It's easy enough for weeknight dinners but impressive enough for special occasions. I refer to this dish as the dairy-free dinner I can't stop making! It's just sooo good, y'all. What's not to love about tender pasta baked with savory mushrooms, rich tomato sauce, and homemade vegan ricotta? It's cozy, satisfying, and always a hit, even with folks who aren't dairy-free.

Author: The Urben Life

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 363 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 lb - ziti pasta
1 lb - mushrooms
1 - yellow onion
3 cloves - garlic
5 cups - fresh spinach
2 cans - crushed tomatoes
1 tsp - dried oregano
1 tsp - salt
½ tsp - black pepper
1 cup - vegan ricotta cheese
1 cup - raw cashews
¾ cup - water
1 tsp - salt
½ tsp - garlic powder

Instructions

If making homemade cashew ricotta, start by placing cashews in a small pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse then transfer to a food processor with fresh water, salt, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth and creamy, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, according to package direction. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain.
As the pasta cooks, warm about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until they release their liquid. Add onion and garlic, saute for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, until wilted. Remove from heat.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the mushroom sauce and stir well to combine. Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce.
Spread about half of the mixture in a 9x13 baking dish. Layer with half of the vegan ricotta cheese, then with remaining pasta and sauce. Top with remaining vegan ricotta.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve warm.

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