Vegan Pasta Bake with Ricotta
Author -Yields: 8
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (340g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for oiling your baking dish)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces medium sized pasta shape
- 1 batch 20-minute marinara sauce (or 4 1/2 cups/1070ml store-bought marinara sauce of choice)
- 1 batch 10-minute vegan ricotta cheese (2 cups/225g store-bought vegan ricotta cheese )
- 1/4 cup cashew parmesan cheese (or a store-bought vegan parmesan cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Arrange the zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, or until all are tender and the eggplant is browning. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- While the vegetables roast, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions.
- Lightly oil a 9 by 13- inch/24 by 36cm rectangle pan. Spread a half cup (120ml) of the marinara sauce lightly across the bottom.
- Drain the cooked pasta. Spread one third of the pasta in the baking dish, followed by a third of the vegetables. Dollop 2/3 cup of the vegan ricotta over the pasta and vegetables, followed by 1 1/3 cups marinara sauce. Repeat this twice. Use the back of a spatula or spoon to lightly spread and swirl around the marinara and vegan ricotta along the top when you finish layering. Then, sprinkle this layer with the vegan parmesan cheese.
- Cover the pasta with foil and bake it for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15-25 minutes, or until bubbling at the edges and crisping on the top. Cut into slices and serve or store.