Easy Vegan Pasta Bake

This easy vegan pasta bake is everything you want in a weeknight dinner. It’s quick and easy to assemble, made from pantry and fridge staples, kid and husband approved, hearty and filling, and utterly delicious!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Pasta ~ I like medium tube pasta for this pasta bake recipe. Penne, rigatoni, or ziti would be my first choice. The sauce nestles into the pasta tubes so there is saucy goodness in each bite!

Farfalle, macaroni, rigatoni, or cavatappi would also be good choices.

Gluten-free pasta will work perfectly in this recipe, so go that route if you want/need.

Pesto ~ Pesto bring tons of flavor with very little effort. We are partial to my homemade Pumpkin Seed Pesto or Kale Walnut Pesto, but you can use your favorite store-bought (Trader Joe’s Kale Pesto is vegan and really yummy!) or homemade vegan pesto.

Sauce ~ Bottled store-bought sauce is the quickest, easiest option. We love Rao’s Tomato Basil or Marinara. It’s more expensive, but it tastes like homemade! Costco sells a 2-pack for a really great price! Aldi is the next cheapest place I’ve found it.

My homemade Spicy Marinara Sauce would be perfect in this pesto pasta bake, too. Or use your favorite marinara sauce recipe.

Spinach ~ I prefer fresh spinach, chopped into small pieces. No need to cook it first, just mix it in with the pasta and sauce. Pasta is a great place to sneak in more leafy greens!

I find frozen spinach to be slimy and bitter, but if that’s all you have, it will work. Be sure to defrost it first and wring out as much liquid as possible so as not to make the casserole mushy.

Cheese ~ Miyoko’s Liquid Mozzarella is really the way to go here. It’s pretty perfect, tastes great, and gets perfectly melty and gooey in the oven.

I haven’t found a shredded vegan cheese yet that melts well and tastes good, but if you have a favorite brand, feel free to substitute that.

Extras ~ Want more veggies? Add some sautéed mushrooms or lightly steamed broccoli.

Want more protein? Add a cup of cooked lentils.

Want some garnish? Sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley or basil over the top before serving.

Please note: the more ingredients you add to the dish, the more sauce you will need so that it doesn’t turn out dry.

Cook the pasta in well-salted water about 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions. You want the pasta just shy of al dente because it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain well.

Stir in the pesto and fresh chopped spinach to the cooked pasta.

Add the pasta sauce to the pasta mixture and stir well to thoroughly coat.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a casserole dish and spread out evenly using a spoon or spatula.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil, drizzle the liquid vegan mozzarella over the top, and place under the broiler for a few minutes (watch it closely!) until melty and lightly browned.

Serve with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese over the top if desired. A side salad would be an easy accompaniment or try some Garlic Green Beans. If you want something even heartier, serve it along side vegan meatballs (the Beyond Meat Plant-Based Meatballs are really good!). And don’t forget the vegan garlic bread.

Fridge: Store leftovers of this vegan pasta bake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: You can also freeze it! Let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It should keep well for up to 4 months.

Reheat: From the fridge, reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30 second intervals until warmed through.

From frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave.

To reheat the entire casserole, it can be reheated, covered, in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through.

Note: The pasta bake may dry out while it sits in the fridge/freezer as the pasta will continue to soak up the sauce. Leftovers can be served with extra sauce on the side or pour some sauce over the top before reheating.

~ Cook the pasta in well-salted water!

~ Undercook the pasta when boiling! Drain it about 2 to 3 minutes earlier than the package directions state. It will continue cooking in the sauce in the oven and you don’t want to end up with mushy pasta!

~ Cover the casserole during the first 20 minutes to ensure the noodles cook fully and don’t dry out.

~ Add the liquid mozzarella only in the last few minutes then broil, uncovered, until the cheese sets up. This should only take a few minutes.

More vegan pasta recipes

• Vegan Bolognese
• Garden Veggie Pasta
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Vegan Pasta Primavera
• Vegan Lasagna Roll Ups
• Vegan Chili Mac