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+ servings
casserole dish filled with pasta, marinara sauce and cheese
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake

The whole family will love this easy, creamy Vegan Pasta Bake. It's a no boil pasta recipe, filled with tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, and your favorite pasta, and topped with cashew cheese. Easy to make ahead, making it the perfect weeknight dinner! 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: pasta bake, vegan pasta bake
Servings: 6
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Erin

Ingredients

for the vegan cheese:

Instructions

  • First, pour the pasta, marinara sauce and water into a large mixing bowl; set aside. Next, preheat the oven to 400° and grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. To that same skillet, add the spinach and sauté for 30 seconds, then remove the skillet from the heat and pour everything into the bowl with the pasta.
  • Add the zucchini, tomatoes, salt, and vegan parmesan to the bowl and stir everything together really well, ensuring the pasta is coated in the sauce.
  • Pour the pasta mixture into the greased casserole dish. If any pasta noodles are sticking up, add 1-2 tablespoon more water, and use a spoon to press them down. Cover the dish with foil, then place it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. (see notes below if using gluten free pasta)
  • Meanwhile, make the vegan mozzarella cheese: pour the cashews into a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil the cashews for 10-15 minutes; drain, then rinse them and transfer them to a blender. Add the remaining cheese ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
  • Once the 40 minutes is up, remove the pasta from the oven, then pour/dollop the cashew cheese over top. Place the dish uncovered back into the oven for 15-20 more minutes.
  • Remove pasta from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes, which will allow the pasta to absorb any remaining liquid. Top with fresh basil and enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation
*Traditional vs. gluten free pasta cook time: (gluten free pasta cooks faster, so to prevent it from getting mushy, simply cook it for a shorter length of time)
  • Traditional: bake for 40 minutes, then remove, add the cheese and bake for 15-20 more minutes
  • Gluten free: bake for 35 minutes, then remove, add the cheese and bake for 10 more minutes
*Storage: 
  • Refrigerator: store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
  • Freezer: wait for the cooked pasta to cool, then slice it into portions and place them in a freezer-safe container
*Make ahead: To make this ahead of time, follow the recipe instructions, but keep everything in the large mixing bowl. Cover it, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours ahead of time. Before baking, pour everything into the casserole dish and add more water as needed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 1170mg | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1861IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 5mg