Vegan Pasta Bake

The perfect easy Christmas dinner pasta bake to feed a crowd or just a cozy Sunday meal in lieu of a traditional lasagna.

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INGREDIENTS

Sausage Walnut Meat: – Raw walnuts – Brown button mushrooms – Onion powder – Granulated garlic – Smoked paprika – Fennel seeds – Red pepper flakes – Whole wheat pastry flour – Sea salt – Black pepper – Fresh fennel fronds (optional) – Basil leaves – Yellow onion – Olive oil For the Pasta: – Rigate pasta – Tomato sauce – Cashew ricotta cheese – Vegan smoked Gouda (optional) Cashew Ricotta: – Raw cashew pieces – Filtered water – Lemon juice – Garlic – Sea salt

Step 1

Soak cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain them afterward.

Step 2

In a powerful blender, combine soaked cashews, lemon, garlic, filtered water, and sea salt. Process until a creamy consistency is achieved. Set it aside for later use.

Step 3

Soak walnuts in hot boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a food processor.

Step 4

In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, toast fennel seeds until they turn golden and fragrant. Transfer them to the food processor along with the walnuts.

Step 5

In the same skillet, sauté minced onion with olive oil and salt until soft and slightly golden. Transfer the cooked onions to the food processor with the nuts and fennel seeds. Pulse to roughly chop, maintaining a textured consistency.

Step 6

Add mushrooms, spices, flour, and fresh herbs to the food processor. Pulse to incorporate all ingredients while retaining texture.

Step 7

Heat the skillet again and add olive oil. Transfer the sausage mixture to the pan. Sear until golden brown, stirring occasionally to scrape brown bits from the bottom. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until well browned.

Step 8

Transfer the cooked sausage mix to a bowl and refrigerate. This allows it to cool and set, forming clumps for use in pasta bake, lasagna, or pizza.

Step 9

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Boil salted water and parboil the pasta for 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and mix it with tomato sauce.

Step 10

Lightly oil a 9x12 lasagna pan. Start by adding half of the sauced pasta to the pan. Layer with the prepared cashew ricotta and half of the sausage meat. Repeat with the remaining pasta and sausage meat. Optionally, cover with slices of vegan smoked Gouda.

Step 11

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 55 minutes.

Step 12

After baking, allow the pasta to cool and set for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or chives if desired. If no vegan cheese is used, consider drizzling with cashew cream before serving.

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