Are you on the hunt for the ultimate cheesy, hearty, and completely satisfying vegan comfort food casserole? A cozy, one-dish meal that the whole family will love, and that you can throw together in minutes on a busy weeknight? This incredible, super-easy Vegan Pasta Bake is the answer to your dinner dilemmas! We’re talking tender pasta, swimming in a rich, savory, and secretly “meaty” lentil and vegetable marinara sauce, all baked under a glorious, gooey blanket of melted vegan mozzarella cheese.
This isn’t just another vegan recipe; it’s your new go-to for a delicious, “dump and bake” style meal that tastes like it took hours to prepare. We’ll show you how to use a few smart shortcuts to create a stunning, from-scratch-tasting casserole that is perfect for a comforting family dinner, a potluck, or for stocking your freezer with a delicious, ready-to-bake meal.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cheesy & Hearty Vegan Comfort Food
What makes this Vegan Pasta Bake so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, rich flavor and its wonderfully simple preparation. This recipe is a masterpiece of plant-based comfort food. The heart and soul of the dish is a rich and savory, from-scratch lentil and vegetable marinara sauce. A hearty base of sautéed onion, garlic, carrots, and peppers is combined with protein-packed green lentils to create an unbelievably “meaty” and satisfying texture. This beautiful sauce is then tossed with tender pasta and a salty kick of vegan Parmesan, and baked under a generous blanket of gooey, melted vegan mozzarella.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 50 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Plant-Powered Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of smart shortcuts and high-quality pantry staples to create its signature comforting and cheesy flavor.
- The Hearty Lentil “Bolognese”:
- Cooked Green Lentils: This is the brilliant and healthy secret to a hearty, “meaty,” and protein-packed sauce that is incredibly satisfying and will impress even the most devoted carnivores. Using pre-cooked or canned lentils is a fantastic time-saver.
- The Veggie Base: A classic, finely diced soffritto of onion, garlic, bell pepper, and carrots is the key to a deep, savory, and nutrient-dense sauce.
- The Vegan Cheeses:
- Vegan Mozzarella & Parmesan: The key to a truly decadent and cheesy pasta bake! Using a high-quality, store-bought shredded vegan mozzarella that is known for melting well is essential for that beautiful, gooey, golden-brown topping. A savory vegan Parmesan adds that classic, salty, umami kick.
- The Shortcuts:
- Jarred Pasta Sauce: The secret to a fast and flavorful meal is to use a high-quality, jarred marinara sauce. Be sure to check the label to ensure it is vegan.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes adds a wonderful, chunky texture and a bright, fresh flavor to the sauce. For an even deeper, smokier flavor, you can use fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
Step-by-Step to the Best Vegan Pasta Bake
This delicious, one-dish meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Sauté the Vegetables
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 2: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook your 12 ounces of pasta according to the package directions until it is perfectly al dente.
Pro Tip: It is a great idea to cook your pasta for 1 minute less than the package directs. The pasta will continue to cook in the hot sauce in the oven, and this will prevent your final casserole from being soft and mushy. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 3: While the pasta is cooking, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add in your 1 1/2 cups of diced red onion and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, until it is translucent.
Step 4: Add in the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, the 1 finely diced medium bell pepper, and the 2 finely diced medium carrots. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Part 2: Build the Sauce and Assemble the Casserole
Step 1: To the skillet with your cooked vegetables, add the 1 1/2 cups of cooked green lentils, the 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce, the 1 can of diced tomatoes, and the 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Step 2: Stir in your cooked and drained pasta, the 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil, and the 1/2 cup of vegan Parmesan. Mix everything together well to combine.
Step 3: If you are using an oven-safe skillet, you can proceed to the next step. If not, transfer the entire mixture to a large casserole or a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 4: Top the casserole with your 1 1/2 cups of shredded vegan mozzarella.
Step 5: Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes. You will know it is perfectly done when the sauce is hot and bubbling around the edges and the vegan cheese on top is completely melted.
Let the pasta bake rest for a few minutes before you serve it.
Hearty Vegan Pasta Bake (Easy & Cheesy!)
A hearty and healthy recipe for a completely vegan pasta bake. This comforting casserole features a rich, vegetable-packed ‘bolognese-style’ sauce made with a base of sautéed onions, peppers, and carrots, with cooked green lentils providing a ‘meaty’ texture. The lentil and vegetable mixture is combined with jarred marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and fresh basil. This savory sauce is then tossed with cooked pasta and vegan Parmesan cheese, topped with vegan mozzarella, and baked until hot and bubbly.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta of choice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups diced red onion
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 medium bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked green lentils
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, diced pepper, and diced carrots. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked green lentils, the undrained can of diced tomatoes, the marinara sauce, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer while the pasta finishes cooking.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Stir in the fresh basil and the vegan Parmesan cheese. Mix well to combine.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the shredded vegan mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.
- Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- This is a complete, plant-based meal that is both hearty and healthy.
- Using cooked green lentils in the sauce is a key technique that provides a ‘meaty’ texture and a great source of plant-based protein.
- Convenient shortcuts like canned lentils and jarred marinara sauce make this an easy weeknight dinner option.
What to Serve With Your Vegan Pasta Bake
This beautiful and rich dish is a fantastic, all-in-one vegan meal. To round it out, here are a few simple and classic pairings:
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad, especially one with a bright and zesty Italian vinaigrette, is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, cheesy casserole.
- Crusty Garlic Bread: A side of warm, crusty garlic bread (made with vegan butter) is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that delicious, savory sauce.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A pasta bake is the ultimate make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal.
- Make-Ahead: You can fully assemble the entire, unbaked casserole up to 2 days in advance. Simply cover it tightly with foil and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, you may need to add 15-20 minutes to the total baking time.
- Storage: Store any leftover baked pasta, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This casserole freezes beautifully! You can freeze it either before or after baking. Let it cool completely, then wrap the pan very well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a pasta bake that is not dry?
The secret is to use plenty of sauce! It is important to make sure that your pasta is generously and completely coated in the sauce before you bake it. This recipe also cleverly has you mix some of the vegan Parmesan directly into the pasta, which adds to the rich and saucy texture.
Q2: Can I make this vegan pasta bake ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, this is a perfect freezer meal! The best method is to assemble the entire unbaked casserole in a freezer-safe baking dish. Then, you can wrap the dish very well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. When you are ready to eat, you can bake it directly from frozen, just be sure to cover it with foil for the first hour and then uncover it, and add about 45-60 extra minutes to the total baking time.
Q3: What is the best vegan cheese for melting on top of a casserole?
The quality and meltability of vegan cheeses have improved dramatically in recent years! For the best, gooiest, and most delicious melted cheese topping, look for a brand of shredded vegan mozzarella that specifically says it is good for melting. Brands like Miyoko’s Kitchen®, Violife®, and Daiya® Cutting Board Shreds are all very popular choices.
Q4: What are the best lentils to use for a “meaty” sauce like this one?
Green or brown lentils are the perfect choice for this recipe. They hold their shape well when they are cooked, which gives the final sauce a wonderful, hearty, and “meaty” texture that is similar to a classic Bolognese.
Q5: Can I add even more vegetables to this recipe?
Of course! This is a fantastic “clean out the fridge” meal. You can add about 1 to 2 cups of your other favorite, finely diced vegetables, like some sautéed mushrooms or chopped zucchini, to the sauce.