This vegan recipe for pasta bake is a better-tasting plant-based alternative to your store-bought “just add water” jars of sauce. When creating this recipe, we set out to replicate our favourite tomato and herb pasta bake sauce, and on our first try, we couldn’t believe how creamy and rich in flavour the bake was.
One thing that is great about an off-the-shelf pasta bake sauce is that is simple. Pour some pasta into a baking tray, add sauce and water, mix and bake. So we know that making your sauce is adding an extra step, but our method uses ingredients you can keep in the cupboard for months, that require no chopping or dicing, and no cooking.
The ingredients list is below and as you can see it is essentially cream, tomatoes and seasoning. The prep time to make the sauce is no more than 5 minutes, and you just have to pour measure, and mix. And we are not going to add any water, the cream, passata and juice from the canned tomatoes will yield the perfect consistency and provide loads of flavour.
So for a few minutes of extra work, you’re going to have a great-tasting, totally vegan sauce that’s ready to pour over some pasta, and then set and forget in the oven. The perfect dinner for a busy evening. Also if you’ve already tried our pasta bake, you should check out our vegan lasagne recipe.
Vegan Pasta Bake Ingredients
200 g pasta (recommend lumaca rigata or rigatoni)
250 ml single cream (recommend Alpro single soya)
250 ml tomato passata
400 g can of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs blend
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
Ground pepper (to taste)
100 g plant-based cheese
Vegan Recipe for Pasta Bake
Alright, so we need to make the pasta sauce. We’re going to start by pouring the can of chopped tomatoes, through a sieve and into a bowl. You do not want to waste the rich tomato juice as you’re going to use it later. Using a large spoon gently press the tomatoes down, and spread them around so most of the juice ends up in the bowl. Don’t work the tomatoes so hard that you grate them through the sieve, you want to be left with a pulp of chopped tomatoes in the sieve, and a bowl of flavoursome juice
Tip the chopped tomatoes into a large mixing bowl and press them down with a masher or fork into small pieces. We don’t want chunks, just a hint of texture and colour throughout our sauce. Now is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 390°F / Gas Mark 6.
Now pour 250 ml of single soya cream and 250 ml of passata into the bowl. Add 100 ml of the tomato juice you drained and set aside. Now it’s thyme for the herbs. On top of this creamy, tomato-packed blend add 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp of mixed Italian herbs, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and a few cracks of pepper to taste. Now mix all these delicious ingredients until you have a creamy blend of tomato and herbs, combined to make a rich pasta bake sauce.
Into an oven dish pour in 200 g of your chosen pasta. Note that the baking dish should be of a size that means when you’ve spread the pasta out it’s a couple of pieces deep, not a single layer spread across the bottom, or you’ll have a rather dry bake.
Pour your sauce over the pasta, and mix everything, allowing the sauce to fill all the holes in the pasta. Then press down on top so that all the pieces are submerged. And finally, place your baking dish in the middle of the oven and cook uncovered for 25 minutes.
Before your first timer sounds, grate 100 g of plant-based mature cheddar cheese (this is a judgement-free zone if you were to increase this number). When 25 minutes is up, take out your bubbling bake and give it a good stir. This will ensure that all the pasta will cook evenly.
At this point, the pasta should all be cooked to an al dente texture, and there should be plenty of sauce left to still be absorbed and soften it up further. If you think your bake is looking a bit dry, just add a splash more tomato juice, or water if you have none left. A couple of times when we’ve made this meal we’ve just stirred in an additional 75 ml of juice and that was enough.
Before returning your bake to the oven, cover the top surface with the grated cheese. Then cook uncovered again for a further 20 minutes. When your final timer sounds you are going to have to let this sizzling sensation sit for a few minutes before serving, it will be piping hot. Just wait until it stops bubbling, then serve and enjoy.
THE BEST VEGAN RECIPE FOR PASTA BAKE
Ingredients
- 200 g pasta recommend lumaca rigata or rigatoni
- 250 ml single cream recommend Alpro single soya
- 250 ml tomato passata
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs blend
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground pepper to taste
- 100 g plant-based cheese
Instructions
- Drain the can of chopped tomatoes through a sieve and into a bowl. Pressing down gently onto the tomatoes, spreading them around smoothly until you have a bowl of tomato juice and a pulp of chopped tomatoes still in the sieve.
- Tip the chopped tomatoes into a large mixing bowl and with a masher or fork press them down into small pieces. Now preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 390°F / Gas Mark 6.
- Into the bowl now pour in 250 ml of single soya cream and 250 ml of passata. Add 100 ml of the tomato juice you drained and set aside. Next add 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp of mixed Italian herbs, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and a few cracks of pepper to taste. Then thoroughly mix the cream, tomatoes and herbs to finish your pasta bake sauce.
- Into an oven dish pour in 200 g of pasta. Note that the baking dish should be of a size that means when you’ve spread the pasta out it’s a couple of pieces deep, not a single layer spread across the bottom, avoiding a dry bake.
- Pour your sauce over the pasta, and mix everything, allowing the sauce to fill all the holes in the pasta. Then press down on top so that all the pieces are submerged. And finally, place your baking dish in the middle of the oven and cook uncovered for 25 minutes.
- Before your first timer sounds, grate 100 g of plant-based mature cheddar cheese. When 25 minutes is up, take out your bubbling bake and give it a good stir, ensuring that all the pasta will cook evenly.
- At this point, the pasta should all be cooked to an al dente texture, and there should be plenty of sauce left to still be absorbed and soften it up further. If you think your bake is looking a bit dry, just add a splash more tomato juice, or water, about 75 ml should be enough.
- Before returning your bake to the oven, cover the top surface with the grated cheese. Then cook uncovered again for a further 20 minutes. Leave to cook for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
How Long Does Pasta Bake Last in the Fridge?
A pasta bake can typically last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days when stored properly.
- Allow the pasta bake to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. This helps prevent condensation inside the container, which can lead to sogginess.
- Transfer the pasta bake to an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Store it in the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C).
- When reheating, make sure to reheat it thoroughly until it’s piping hot to kill any potential bacteria.
Can Pasta Bake Be Frozen?
- Cooling: Allow the pasta bake to cool to room temperature before freezing. This prevents condensation and ice crystals from forming in the dish.
- Portioning: If you have a large batch of pasta bake, consider portioning it into individual servings or meal-sized portions. This makes it easier to defrost and reheat only what you need.
- Packaging: Use airtight freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to store the pasta bake. Make sure to remove as much air as possible from the container or bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Shelf Life: Pasta bake can typically be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months and still maintain good quality. While it may remain safe to eat for a longer period, the texture and flavor may deteriorate over time.
