Vegan Cheese Pasta Bake

A wooden spatula scooping up a serving of baked vegan cheesy pasta.

Warm, saucy, and loaded with veggies, this vegan cheesy pasta bake is so easy to make. Topped with bubbly, melty vegan mozzarella and parmesan, it's the perfect weeknight comfort food.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 393

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

1 lb rigatoni 454g
2 tablespoons Thrive Algae Oil 30ml
10 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms cleaned, 283g
2 tablespoons Sun-dried tomatoes 17g
5 cloves garlic minced
5 cups spinach 150g
¾ teaspoon sea salt 4g
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 0.5g
2 teaspoons dried oregano 2g
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 8g
8 ounces vegan mozzarella 227g
42 ounces canned or jarred roasted tomatoes (one 28 ounce can/jar and one 14-ounce can/jar) or marinara sauce, 1,191g total
2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese 10g
more chopped fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted water.
Lightly grease a 13” x 9” (33 x 23cm) pan with Thrive Algae Oil, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a pan over medium high heat, add the Thrive Algae Oil. Add the mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and sauté down for about 5 minutes, until mushrooms are slightly shrived.
Add in the spinach and season with sea salt and black pepper. Sauté down for about 3 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Add the tomatoes (or sauce), dried oregano and basil. Stir to combine.
Add the cooked rigatoni to the prepared pan, then ladle the sauce iver the top. Stir to combine.
Add ½ cup (56g) of your vegan mozzarella throughout the dish and stir to combine again. Then top with remaining vegan mozzarella and vegan parmesan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes so everything comes together beautiful and the cheese melts. Top with more basil and serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Salt the pasta water. A generous pinch or two will do it. So the pasta itself doesn't turn out bland.
Don't crowd the pan. When browning the mushrooms with the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, don't crowd the pan. The mushrooms won't brown properly.
Even distribution. Be sure to evenly distribute the sauce and cheeses across the pasta before stirring it in/baking.
Rest. Let your pasta bake sit for 5-10 minutes before serving for easier, cleaner scooping.
Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container (or cover with plastic wrap). They'll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating (covered) in the oven for ~10 minutes, or in the microwave.