Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Meat Sauce

Vegan Baked Rigatoni is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love! This comforting one-dish pasta is made with rigatoni, lentil bolognese, and cheesy tofu mozzarella topping. Gluten-free & soy-free & Nut-free options.Jump to Recipe

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?

Vegan Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Lentil Meat Sauce

Vegan Baked Rigatoni is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love! This comforting one-dish pasta is made with rigatoni, lentil bolognese and cheesy tofu mozzarella topping. Gluten free option, Nutfree option .

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time54 mins

Total Time59 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked rigatoni, vegan baked ziti, vegan pasta bake

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 384kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the pasta

1 lb (450 g) rigatoni or penne or ziti
26 oz (740 g) jar of pasta sauce or marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce
1/3 cup (60 g) red lentils or 1/4 cup of lentils + 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped walnut for best texture
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (1 ) italian seasoning Or mix of basil, oregano or thyme
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups (480 ml) water

For the tofu mozzarella topping

7 oz (200 g) firm tofu or silken tofu
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp miso or 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup (118.29 ml) water
2 tsp flour

Instructions

In 9 X 13 inch pan, add the 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 salt and mix really well and even it out with a spatula. Cover with foil and bake at 350F (180c ) 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 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.

Notes

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-dree, substitute sturdy gluten-free pasta (such as a corn and quinoa blend).
You can add some cooked veggies or sautéed greens to the lentil and pasta mixture if you’d like!
to make a soyfree mozzarella use my cashew mozzarella

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Lentil Meat Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 384 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 466mg20%

Potassium 730mg21%

Carbohydrates 72g24%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 532IU11%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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 for Chunky 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.