Vegan Stuffed Pasta Casserole
This vegan stuffed pasta casserole layers tender tube pasta filled with a creamy tofu-cashew ricotta and spinach, baked in a fresh tomato sauce and topped with melty vegan cheese. It's comforting, hearty, and surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
- 300 g tube pasta cooked al dente
- 2 Tbsp vegan cheese shredded
For the sauce:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 5 tomatoes peeled and crushed
- 1 Tbsp basil leaves chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
For the stuffing:
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 100 g fresh baby spinach
- 250 g firm tofu
- 100 g raw cashews soaked overnight
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta al dente for about 6 minutes. It just needs to be soft enough to fill.
- Preheat the oven to 200C.
- Make the sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic and saute for about 3 minutes, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, and pepper, then cook for 7 more minutes, stirring occasionally. When the sauce is ready, set aside.
- For the pasta stuffing:
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add the soaked raw cashews, crumbled tofu, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth.
- Add the cooked spinach and pulse 2-3 times. Scoop a tablespoon of stuffing into each cooked pasta tube.
- Place the stuffed pasta in a baking dish in a single layer, pour over the tomato sauce, and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Top with some shredded vegan cheese and serve.
Notes
Assemble ahead and refrigerate the unbaked casserole for up to a day before baking. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.