Welcome to the very first post of Sugar Coated Vegan!
I’ve been thinking about starting a food blog for a very long time and I finally decided to take the plunge and try it out! Although this blog will most likely be based heavily on vegan desserts – my first post is actual one of my favorite dinner recipes; Vegan Baked Ziti. I’m Italian so you know we love our cheese but I can say you don’t miss it at all here. The cashew ricotta tastes just as creamy as dairy ricotta and it is phenomenal! I was actually super impressed with the taste after I made this and I think it would taste even better with some fresh veggies mixed in as well. You could also add your favorite vegan mozzarella cheese to make this dish even cheesier. Feel free to experiment and let me know how it turns out!
- 1 lb. of your favorite Ziti Pasta
- 3 cups of Tomato sauce (or less depending on your preferences)
- A handful of breadcrumbs to sprinkle over the top (Nutritional Yeast would taste good as well but I don’t really use it so just breadcrumbs for me!)
- Some spray oil or olive oil to coat your baking dish with.
For the Cashew Ricotta:
While preparing the cashew ricotta, preheat your oven to 350° F.
- 1 ½ cups soaked raw unsalted cashews* (I did a quick soak of two hours with semi-warm water but you should soak them over night. The water should at least cover the cashews because they will plump up while they’re soaking. )
- ¾ cup lemon juice (Mine tasted super lemony in the beginning but when it’s all combined you can barely taste it.)
- ½ tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon of Basil (I’m sure fresh Basil would be amazing in this for a little hint of freshness!)
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- A pinch of paprika
- Two garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons of water or more (If you feel the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency that you want.)
* If you can’t find raw unsalted cashews you can substitute with roasted unsalted cashews but the raw ones are definitely better.
I processed this all in the food processor until it became a very creamy consistency with no chunks of nuts leftover. I didn’t keep count but mine took at least five minutes.
After you’re done preparing all of your ingredients, combine the cashew ricotta, pasta and sauce in a bowl and mix until it’s completely mixed. I added the whole amount of the ricotta to my dish but if you want less that would work as well. After it’s all combined, transfer it to your oiled baking dish, cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until it’s heated completely through and then uncover and bake for an additional 5 – 7 minutes until the breadcrumbs become golden brown. If your breadcrumb topping doesn’t seem to be browning drizzle or spray a bit of oil over the top of it to help it along.
I am going to try this today. I am looking for an east no oil, wheat free pasta meal to replace or beloved family goulash.
Print option and servings would be helpful
I agree, a print option would be great. But get to it when you can; it’s not a deal breaker. 🙂
I enjoy your “civilian” writing style and honesty about the ingredients (“I’m sure fresh Basil would be amazing in this for a little hint of freshness!”). That’s charming and how things work in a REAL home kitchen. 🙂
Thanks again!
Jason
I love this recipe! I made it tonight for the second time. Both times I cut way down on the lemon juice, this time to just a little more than 1/4 cup, and I liked it better that way. Tonight I didn’t use it as baked ziti- I just poured the sauce over fettucine. Yum!
I’m going to try this, sounds delicious!
I made this last night and it was awesome. For some reason, I don’t end up with enough sauce/cheese, but it was still good. Probably because I made my own marinara with crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. It was about 3.5 cups, but I’m thinking the volume of the tomato bits may have changed things. Next time, I’ll blend it. I did use fresh basil in the sauce and cheese and it definitely made a difference. I’ll be making this again, for sure.
Thank and sounds delicious! 🙂
Do I cook the pasta before baking it?
So sorry for the late reply but yes! Cook the pasta until al dente! 🙂