Vegan Cauliflower Parmesan Pasta Bake. Casserole with Pasta, marinara sauce, Crispy Cauliflower slices coated in breadcrumbs and spices, and vegan mozzarella make a great Cauliflower Parmigiana. Soy-free Recipe. Can be gluten-free
This Cauliflower Parmesan Bake you all has everything you want in the parmigiana, Crispy Cauliflower, tomatoey sauce and all the cheesyness.
The process is pretty short and straightforward. Bake the cauliflower slices to cook and roast them to al dente. Then top with some vegan mozzarella and herbed breadrumb mixture and place over the pasta mixture. Bake until hot and bubble and crispy. You can also bread the cauliflower and bake instead. Make it whichever way. Serve with some rusty garlic bread.
More pastas from the blog.
- Pumpkin Sage Pasta with pumpkin cream sauce and crisp Sage
- Black pepper Mac and Cheese
- Chickpea Chorizo, Quinoa shells in tomato sauce.
- Zesty Pesto Pasta with chard and zucchini
- Ziti Cheddar Brussels sprouts bake
Bake the Cauliflower slices
Assemble your bake
Add cauliflower on top.
Add the mozzarella and breadcrumb mixture.
Bake to melt the cheese and crisp the top. Serve! Make it and let me know how it worked out. Please Rate the recipe too!
Recipe Card
Vegan Cauliflower Parmesan Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1/4 inch (0.25 inch) slices from half a head of cauliflower
- olive oil to brush
- 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 8 oz (226.8 g) pasta
- 2.5 cups (312.5 g) of marinara or tomato basil sauce plus more for serving
- vegan mozzarella slices such as miyoko's kitchen
- or use my cashew mozzarella
- or use my cauliflower alfredo
Coating:
- 1/3 cup (36 g) breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika smoked or regular
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) onion powder
- 1 tsp italian herb blend
- pepper flakes as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/ 200ºc.
- Place cauliflower slices on parchment lined sheet. Spray or brush olive oil. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes. *See alternate breaded cauliflower in notes.
- Meanwhile, Boil the water for the pasta in a saucepan, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and add to a baking dish.
- Add marinara or tomato basil sauce and toss to coat. Add 1/4 cup water on the edges.
- Place the baked cauliflower on the pasta. Spread vegan mozzarella slices on the cauliflower.
- In a bowl mix breadcrumbs with vegan parm. Sprinkle this all over the cauliflower slices and the pasta.
- Bake at 400 degrees F / 200ºc for 20 to 25 minutes or until mozzarella is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil leaves and pepper flakes. Serve with crusty garlic bread and additional marinara on top.
Video
Notes
Double the breadcrumb mixture and put in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, add 1/3 cup aquafaba (chickpea brine), or 2 flax eggs(2 tbsp flax seed meal mixed with 5 tbsp water).
Dip the cauliflower slice in aquafaba bowl, then in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place on baking sheet, spray oil on top and bake for 18 minutes.
Proceed with the pasta assembly. ** Heat the blended cashew mozzarella cream in a skillet over medium heat until evenly thickened (3 mins, stir occasionally),to use as mozzarella. To make this gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Nadina
Hi Richa’
I see cauliflower Alfredo sauce on ingredients- but I don’t see any mention of it in instructions.When do I use the sauce.
Thank you.
Nadina
Richa
Its vegan mozzarella slices or my vegan mozz cream link or cauliflower alfredo. Use either at the point where The instruction says oat the cauliflower with vegan mozza.
anne
Wow, it was great. Instead of mozz on top, I made a white cashew sauce and topped it with that. Family loved it, and will make again this week. thank you!
Christine
Great idea putting the cauliflower on top to bake! I really enjoyed this!
Ayaka
For the breaded cauliflower, do you bake it with old bay first and put the breadcrumb coating and bake again or just take raw cauliflower and put the breadcrumb mixture and bake from the beginning?
Richa
The raw slices are rubbed with the spices and baked for a bit. Then placed on the casserole and layered with mozz and breadrumb mixture. You can also bread the lightly cooked sliced fully and then place on the casserole. The breaded cauliflower gets cooked further with the casserole.
Maraika
Hi. You will need to make your own Old Bay Seasoning if you are in Australia. Google for recipes.
Ground Bay leaves, which are in nearly all the recipes are hard to find and I bought mine from Herbies.com.au
Or you could use the recipe from https://leitesculinaria.com/81715/recipes-homemade-old-bay-seasoning-mix.html which does not have Bay Leaf Powder.
Don’t try to ground your own as it is near impossible to do:)
Mr Cormick does have the seasoning so I have contacted them to where it can be bought in Australia.
Sallie
Hi Richa,
I have subscribed for a few months now and love every recipe you have posted. I have also purchased your book – it is fabulous too.
I will try the vegan cauliflower bake tonight but need to ask – what is old bay seasoning? I don’t think we have that in Australia.
Thank you so much.
Richa
Thats awesome Thanks!. You can make your own if you cant find it. https://www.food.com/recipe/old-bay-seasoning-copycat-189447 use whichever spices you have
Jeanette
Just made this, was looking for comfort food and this hit the spot!!! Will be on my favorite list
Richa
Awesome!
Analida's Ethnic Spoon
I have a vegan friend who would love this recipe. I will make sure to pass it along.