Vegan Richa

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Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Meat Sauce

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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

overhead shot of a white casserole dish with vegan baked rigatoni

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?

side view of a casserole dish with baked vegan rigatoni with tofu mozzarella

vegan baked rigatoni in a white casserole
Print Recipe
4.95 from 18 votes

Vegan Baked Rigatoni with Vegan Lentil Meat Sauce

Vegan Baked Rigatoni is an easy weeknight meal ! No pre-cooking the pasta, no precooking the lentils needed for This comforting one-dish pasta 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) Uncooked rigatoni or penne or ziti
  • 28 oz (740 g) jar of pasta sauce or marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce
  • 1/3 cup (60 g) 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 (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, taste and adjust salt and flavor 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

  • 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 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.

 

overhead shot of ingredients needed for making vegan baked rigatoni

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!

overhead shot of casserole dish with raw pasta, marinara and red lentils

In 9 X 13 inch pan, add the raw pasta, and distribute evenly. Add the pasta sauce, lentils, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, and water.

ingredients for making baked vegan rigatoni tossed in a casserole dish

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

overhead shot of vegan baked rigatoni before vegan tofu cheese sauce is added

For the tofu mozzarella, blend all the ingredients until smooth and set aside.

Vegan Tofu Mozzarella Cheese sauce poured on top of baked rigatoni

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

overhead shot of a casserole dish with vegan baked rigatoni with tofu mozzarella

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:

 

 

 



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  2. Are you supposed to boil/cook the pasta normally before using it in this recipe, or are you supposed to use raw/uncooked pasta and it absorbs liquid from the sauce?

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Loved this. I used whole wheat pasta, added chopped fresh spinach and added maybe a 1/4 cup of plain canned tomato sauce (I like saucy pasta). But followed everything else to the letter. It was perfect.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Thanks for fabulous recipe. I am going to try this out. Do you think I could I use the french Bjoux Vert canned lentils in place or red lentils. I would still add the walnuts?

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner today. I added in some sauteed broccoli, used nutritional yeast instead of miso (as you suggest) and used a gluten free corn/rice pasta and gf flour. So easy, yummy and creamy. Thank you, Richa!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and it is so good! Although it takes awhile to bake, it’s very easy to put together. I will definitely be adding this to our rotation 🙂

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    This was very tasty.

    I used extra firm tofu for the creamy sauce which turned out a pleasant ricottaesque texture. I used both doenjang and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast in the creamy sauce, and it ended up salty enough for us without any added salt. I also used about 1.5 tsp white vinegar in the sauce instead of lemon as I’d run out of lemon.

    For the tomato sauce, I just chucked a whole bunch of spices (Costco 21 seasoning blend; granulated onion & garlic, oregano, basil, tsp nutritional yeast) into a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Great for us without any added salt (canned tomatoes had salt). Oh, and I added a chopped red pepper, and used the lentils + walnuts option. Next time I think I will add some greens if I have them.

    The pasta and lentils cooked for me in about 1 hour 20 minutes/80 minutes.

    Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  10. Love your recipes on the blog and in the cookbooks! Have you ever mixed the pasta and sauce early in the day, and baked at dinner time? Or, would the pasta have too much time to absorb the liquid before baking?

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

  14. This super easy and looks so delicious! Im definitely going to try it, thank you for sharing the recipe <3

    Reply

  15. 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

    Reply

  17. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

  18. 5 stars
    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

    Reply

  19. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

  21. 5 stars
    I made this last night and it was great! I added chopped spinach, mushrooms, Chinese eggplant, and grated carrots. This is a great recipe to sneak in extra veggies if you have kids or significant others that don’t love veggies! I couldn’t really tell all those veggies were in there. This recipe is omnivore boyfriend approved and I will definitely be making again. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  22. 5 stars
    Just made this and it was delicious! Added fresh spinach. Thank you for yet another awesome recipe! Will definitely make it again and again.

    Reply

  23. 4 stars
    Another fab recipe! The only thing I would do next time is just cook it for another 10 or 15 minutes. We like our pasta al dente, but there were a few rigatoni that were just a wee bit too firm. Other than that, a great recipe to pop in the oven and get on with something else. Thanks again mate! 💚

    Reply

  24. 5 stars
    Really good. Really easy.. I didn’t use the lentils. Added a pound-ish of raw chopped mushrooms and reduced the water by half.
    Knocked it out of the park again Richa!

    Reply

  25. 5 stars
    This was really yummy ! I did change a bit. I can never get lentils to cook in a tomato sauce so I boiled them first, and I also cooked the pasta a little. Left out the extra water, but put in extra tomato sauce instead. Added blanched spinach to the sauce. Put everything in the oven for 30 mins, then added the mozz.
    I didn’t add the mushrooms I wanted, I was lazy and didn’t feel like chopping and sauteing.
    Even though I pre-boiled some things it was still really easy! Will make again!

    Reply

  26. We made this to the specs and it was very good! Took it the next level my swapping in 1lb of Impossible meat for the lentils, adding broccoli, and doubling the spices. We would’ve added spinach but ran out. This is probably one of my favorite Vegan Richa recipes!

    Reply
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