Easy vegan baked ziti that is high in protein and in flavor. This easy 30 minute dinner recipe is gluten-free, plant-based & 100% drool-worthy.
Baked ziti is traditionally made with ziti pasta, a meat sauce, and dairy cheese. In this vegan gluten-free baked ziti recipe we are swapping traditional ziti for legume-based penne (or ziti if you can find it!), a perfectly seasoned walnut "meat" sauce, and vegan cheese. Filling and delicious, so all hunger pangs will be highly satisfied
My favorite things about this easy vegan baked ziti:
- Quick. It comes together in 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight dinner option.
- Leftovers. Stores and reheats well, making for great leftovers.
- Protein. High in protein thanks to walnuts and legume-based pasta
- Versatile. You don't have to be vegan to love this dish.
Love easy pasta recipes? Be sure to check out this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese or this vegan pesto pasta.
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GF Vegan Baked Ziti ingredients
- GF ziti or penne (see recipe tips below for some of my favorite options)
- Raw walnuts
- Yellow onion (medium in size)
- Garlic
- Avocado oil
- Spices; oregano, basil, salt & pepper
- Marinara sauce
- Vegan parmesan cheese
How to make vegan baked ziti
This easy vegan baked ziti is made with layers of gluten-free pasta, a simple walnut marinara sauce and vegan parmesan cheese.
1. Add about half of the cooked pasta to a lightly greased baking dish.
2. Top with about half of the walnut sauce, plus a few additional tablespoons of marinara sauce.
3. Add vegan cheese & then repeat the process with the remainder of the ingredients.
Tips for recipe success
- Grease the baking dish: don't skip this step! If skipped, the pasta will stick to the dish and the overall taste will not be as rich or creamy. Use avocado oil or melted vegan butter for best results.
- Pasta choices: if you aren't a gluten-free eater, use traditional ziti. For all my gluten-free eaters I will give you the heads up that GF ziti can be a bit tricky to find. Banza sells it online, however any legume-based penne pasta also works! I've also used Trader Joe's brown rice penne and had great results. Use whatever you can find!
- Cooking the ziti (or penne): cook the pasta for 6-8 minutes, drain and rinse. Do not let the pasta sit for too long or else it will start to congeal together. Add it to the greased baking dish and assemble as soon as possible to prevent this from happening.
- Marinara sauce: I love Whole Foods Organic Marinara sauce, but use your favorite!
Substitutions
Ziti or penne: any pasta will work! The long ziti or penne shape make it easier to layer, but the combination of all will be delicious no matter what!
Vegan cheese: traditional baked ziti includes ricotta and mozzarella cheese, in this vegan variation we are using vegan cheese instead. I used Follow Your Heart vegan parmesan but ricotta (Kite Hill or Tofutti) and/or mozzarella (Violife or Miyoko's) can also be used. For a truly bubbly and cheese experience, combine a few and top with Miyoko's liquid vegan mozzarella.
Storage & make-ahead tips
- Fridge: once the baked ziti has cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
The walnut sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to use for an easy make-ahead option.
📋 Recipe
Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Ziti
Equipment
- ceramic or glass baking dish (9x13 or something similar)
- large skillet
- large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup raw walnuts (soaked in water for 5-10 minutes)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon each of basil and oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup marinara sauce (I used Whole Foods organic marinara pasta sauce) + a few extra tablespoons for topping
- 8 oz box legume-based ziti or penne pasta
- 1 cup vegan parmesan cheese (I used Follow Your Heart) or sub with vegan mozzarella and/or ricotta
- optional topping; fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Prep: First grease a baking dish with avocado oil or vegan butter. Next, add walnuts to a bowl and cover with water. Add water to a sauce pan, place over high heat, add a pinch of salt & bring to a boil. Finally, while you wait for water to boil, chop an onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- To make the pasta: Once the water is boiling, add pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat, rinse & drain.*preheat oven to 415℉
- To make the walnut sauce: As the pasta cooks, prepare the walnut sauce. Warm a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, diced onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent and soft. While the onion cooks, rinse and drain the soaked walnuts. Add to a food processor and blend until a coarse texture is achieved (5-10 seconds). Add the pulsed walnuts and minced garlic. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over the ingredients, then sprinkle with oregano, basil, and minced garlic. Stir to combine while allowing to cook for a minute or so. Finally, add ½ cup marinara sauce and stir again. Remove from heat.
- Assemble & bake: Add about ½ of the cooked pasta to a baking dish, top with ½ of the walnut sauce and a few tablespoons of marinara sauce. Smooth over the pasta with a spatula then sprinkle with ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Top with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the walnut sauce, & a final layer of parmesan cheese. To finish, sprinkle with a bit of oregano and garlic granules. Place onto the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Remove and top with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley (optional).
Michael says
The leftovers are the best part 😊
Amazing recipe, thank you
Anne E. McGuigan says
Hey there. Very tasty! I do have a question about the walnut sauce, which was a bit crunchy. Is this the way it is supposed to be? Is it possible that I did not process it enough? Thanks!
Morgan says
Hi Anne,
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
Yes, next time I would pulse the walnuts for a longer duration in the food processor. Additionally, you could try soaking them for a bit longer (15-20 minutes) before pulsing. Doing both will ensure a smooth sauce.
Hope those tricks help!