I’ve made variations of this recipe about a million times now and finally, finally!
It’s here.
For you to savour and enjoy.
Because food is meant to be shared.
Although I could inhale nearly this entire pan all by myself.
Self-control…
Now it may not be the most visually appealing recipe, but often times the best comfort foods aren’t the prettiest.
A little beige and a little more beige haha.
But really, this dish is soooo flavorful and satisfying!
We have our mouth-watering marinara base enhanced with Mediterranean veggies, a decadent (yet healthy!) homemade cheeze sauce, protein-packed chickpea pasta, crunchy Panko for textural contrast, and herbaceous basil!
Bake until hot, bubbly, golden, and delicious.
Yes m’am.
Vegan food can taste good.
P.S. Please taste and adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your fancy.
P.P.S. Use your best judgement regarding which baking dish size will fit the pasta and sauce. You don’t want a super thin layer of pasta, but you also don’t want the sauce to overflow and create a royal mess in your oven.
P.P.P.S. I do love Banza for the protein content, but the dish pictured above was made with “regular” pasta, since it shows off the vibrant red marinara color better. If you’re not gluten-free, it is a tasty option as well!
Cheesy Vegan Baked Pasta
Ingredients
Red Sauce
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara (I highly recommend Rao's tomato basil)
- 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
- 5 ounces frozen spinach, cut into cubes (I used half a package)
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I used the packaged tomatoes, vs jarred), finely chopped
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1/3 cup raw cashew pieces
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (I use Bob's Red Mill)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine, optional
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Pasta
- 12 ounces Banza chickpea rotini pasta (1 1/2 boxes), or short-cut pasta of choice—adjust cooking time accordingly
Toppins
- 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs for a gluten-free recipe)
- Extra Virgin olive oil, to finish
- Fresh basil, chiffonade
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375.
- For the cheese sauce, boil one cup of water. Remove from heat then soak the cashew pieces for 10 minutes to soften. Drain the cashew pieces and rinse. In a blender, blend a fresh cup of water, with the softened cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, rice wine vinegar, miso paste, lemon juice, and coconut sugar. Once the mixture is smooth, blend in the tapioca starch. Pour the mixture into a small pot and whisk in the wine, if using. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens to a pourable cheese sauce consistency. Season with black pepper and salt, then remove from heat.
- For the red sauce, add the marinara, artichoke hearts, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes to a medium-sized pot. Gently bring to a simmer, then season with crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt.
- Cook the pasta until it's nearly al dente. Then rinse (if using chickpea pasta).
- Fold the cooked pasta into the marinara, then spoon the pasta into a suitable baking dish. Pour enough cheese sauce on top of the pasta to evenly coat, then sprinkle on the breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pasta is hot and the cheese sauce is bubbling. You may broil the pasta under the "low" setting to further brown the breadcrumbs if desired. Just keep an eye on the pasta as it may burn!
- Remove the pasta from the oven, then let the pasta sit for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a drizzle of quality extra-virgin olive oil, and a flourish of fresh basil.