This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Vegan Baked Rigatoni is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love! No precooking the pasta or the lentils! This comforting pasta is made in one pan 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
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 1 lb Uncooked rigatoni, or penne or ziti
- 28 oz jar of pasta sauce, or marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce
- 1/3 cup dried split red lentils , or 1/4 cup of red lentils + 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped walnut for best texture
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp italian seasoning, Or mix of basil, oregano or thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water
For the tofu mozzarella topping
- 7 oz 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 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, taste and adjust salt and flavor and set aside. (For Soyfree, use my liquid cashew mozzarella)
- 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.
Video
Notes
- You can add sautéed mushroom or veggies or spinach etc along with the pasta sauce for variation.
- if you don't have Italian seasoning, use a mix of basil, oregano and thyme
- Yes, the cheese mixture will be thin and runny. That’s ok. It will thicken in the oven.
- add 1 cup more pasta sauce for saucier result. Different pasta brands and lentils can absorb moisture differently.
- You can use nutritional yeast instead of miso paste.
- For gluten-dree, substitute sturdy gluten-free pasta
- to make soyfree mozzarella use my cashew mozzarella
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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
I made this tonight. It was surprisingly easy and delicious!
Yes! that’s what I love to hear!!!
Richa! This recipe is brilliant! I added a defrosted package of chopped spinach and used penne instead of rigatoni because I had it in my pantry. My husband thought the casserole was Greek Pastitsio. It was delicious.
Ahh this was so good! Made it for dinner tonight and I am so impressed! We have 5 kids from one year to 10 and everyone got second servings 😍 adding to our rotation m. Thanks
Yay
This was SO GOOD! Thank you for this easy recipe! I especially like that it’s healthy, but all of these ingredients are shelf stable so I can pull them out of the pantry for a quick and easy meal. Thank you!
I’m SO glad you enjoyed this! 🙂
What do you think about adding sliced zucchini? Can I add it raw with the pasta at the beginning?
that will be fine as long as the slices are not too thick – try to slice them 1/8″ or 2-3 mm.
I just bought red lentils to try out this recipe! Just wondering what the balsamic vinegar is for and if there are any other substitutions or if I can omit it? Thanks Richa
You can use 2 tbsp wine instead
This super easy and looks so delicious! Im definitely going to try it, thank you for sharing the recipe <3
i’m excited for you!
Made this a couple nights ago and we enjoyed dinner for 3 days! It was so delicious and the tofu sauce on top was such a great addition! I added some fresh onion and 1 tsp of red pepper flakes to the sauce because we like spice. I love how customizable this recipe is. It was full of flavor and so simple to put together. Recipe is a definite keeper! Thank you for posting.
Awesome
Just made a half batch of this because it seemed like an awful lot of food. BIG mistake. This is super yummy and we tore through it like dogs.
Be sure to do the walnuts. They bring out something special.
Thanks Richa!
My mouth is watering! dish is so delicious.
yay!