Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Meat Sauce

You’re going to love this recipe for Vegan Baked Rigatoni! It’s basically a lazy lasagna! Absolutely perfect for when company comes over and you want to please everyone, vegans and carnivores alike. super easy to make this as a busy weeknight dinner because it’s so quick.

It can be made gluten-free if needed or whole grain. For that cheesy topping I went with non-dairy tofu mozzarella cheese which is just blended up tofu and is quick and easy and creamy! You make it in the blender and it takes just seconds to make.

For the “ragu” I went with a simple vegan lentil bolognese that is basically just marinara, lentils, Italian herbs! DONE. How easy is this?

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Baked Rigatoni Ingredients:

•  rigatoni – you could use penne pasta or ziti any other tube-shaped pasta you like.
• pasta sauce, or marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce are the base for our vegan ragu. No shame in using store-bought here but you can of course make your own using my recipe forChunky Tomato Sauce.
• red lentils or 1/4 cup of lentils + 1/4 cup of coarse chopped walnut stand in for the meat and add that bolognese feel to this baked rigatoni recipe.
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar adds some sweetness and acidity.
• I use garlic and Italian seasoning to spruce up the tomato sauce even more!
• For the tofu mozzarella topping, we blend silken or firm tofu and olive oil with some secret cheesy ingredients  (garlic +onion powder, miso paste) until super smooth and creamy.
• lemon juice adds some freshness
• We also add some flour to the cheese that will activate once the sauce hits the heat and thicken it up.
• to make a soyfree mozzarella use my cashew mozzarella.

Tips & Substitutions:

• If you don’t have Italian seasoning, use a mix of basil, oregano or thyme
• Yes, the cheese mixture will be thin and runny. That’s ok. It will thicken in the oven.
• You can use nutritional yeast instead of miso paste.
• For gluten-free, substitute sturdy gluten-free pasta (such as a corn and quinoa blend).
• For nut-free, skip the walnuts and add more lentils.
• You can add some cooked veggies or sautéed greens to the lentil and pasta mixture if you’d like!

In 9 X 13 inch pan, add the raw pasta, and distribute evenly. Add the pasta sauce, lentils, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, and water.

And mix well. If the pasta sauce does not have enough salt, add some more and mix really well, and even it all out with a spatula. Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350F for 50 minutes

For the tofu mozzarella, blend all the ingredients until smooth and set aside.

Remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the foil. Now pour the tofu mozzarella over the baked rigatoni pasta and put it back into the oven and broil it for 3-4 mins until browning, Add a drizzle of olive oil and pepper flakes and serve

How to store this Baked Rigatoni :

This pasta bake can be frozen. Once cooked, let it cool completely, then cover tightly with foil and freeze. When ready to serve, bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins or until warm. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days, making it a great meal prep for lunches.

MORE VEGAN PASTA RECIPES FROM THE BLOG:

• Vegan Mushroom Fettucine Alfredo
• Cajun Cauliflower Pasta
• Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta
• Roasted Red Bell Pepper Chickpea Pasta
• Cauliflower Parmesan Pasta Bake
• Vegan Sundried Tomato Pasta