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Cheesy Vegan Baked Pasta

Print Recipe
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

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.