This Vegan Baked Spaghetti is a delicious twist on the classic comfort food! Pasta is twirled into a hearty vegan meat sauce and then baked to cheesy perfection. Feed a big group with this easy family favorite or use it as a make-ahead meal!
This cheesy meatless spaghetti bake is loved by everyone who tries it!
Spaghetti for dinner is definitely something to get really excited about! However, something incredibly magical happens when you take it a step further by popping it into the oven.
It turns into a sliceable casserole, almost like spaghetti pie, with the delicious saucy flavors baked into every noodle. It’s super cheesy and almost like a million dollar spaghetti.
I like to incorporate a quick “meaty” sauce similar to my Cherry Tomato Sauce. Or, you can save time by using your favorite jar of spaghetti sauce.
Plant-based baked spaghetti is such a filling meal and can even be prepped ahead of time! Store it in the refrigerator and simply bake it in the oven before feeding your ravenous group.
Leftovers are just as good the next day! This homemade spaghetti bake reheats really well in the microwave if you want to eat it throughout the week and it’s great for packing into lunch boxes.
If you LOVE comforting vegan pasta dishes like I do, be sure to check out my Skillet Lasagna, Mac and Cheese, Feta Pasta, Hamburger Helper, and Stuffed Shells!
Reasons To Love This Pasta Bake
- It’s meatless and dairy-free
- Cheesy, hearty, and very filling
- Just a few simple ingredients needed
- Full of comforting Italian-inspired flavors
- Easy to throw together on busy weeknights
- Great for meal-prep because leftovers are just as good
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spaghetti – Use your favorite including gluten-free, wheat, chickpea, etc. Other pastas can work as well such as angel hair, penne, elbow macaroni.
- Olive Oil – I like olive best, but any other works. Use a bit of water for oil-free.
- Onion – Yellow onion gives a lovely subtle flavor, although whatever you have on hand is just fine.
- Garlic – Garlic is a must! Use powdered if you don’t have any fresh garlic.
- Vegan Crumbles – Use plant-based ground “meat” crumbles. I like Impossible, Beyond, or Gardein brands.
- Tomatoes – Use canned diced tomatoes and a jar of your favorite pasta sauce or tomato sauce.
- Seasoning – Feel free to adjust the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper to your taste.
- Dairy Free Cheese – Mozzarella and parmesan are delicious in this pasta but other types of plant based cheese such as cheddar or gouda would be good too!
- Fresh Herbs – Garnish this spaghetti casserole with basil, parsley, or any other fresh herbs.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven and grease a large oven-safe dish. Dice the onions and mince the garlic.
Start to boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Then, cook the noodles to al dente. We don’t want to let the spaghetti become too soft because it will cook further in the oven.
Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until they’re slightly translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook it for about a minute.
Add the vegan ground crumbles to the pan and stir them around to break up the clumps as they heat up and get get a little crispy.
Pour in the pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasoning. Stir occasionally as the sauce cooks on a low boil for 5 minutes.
Drain the cooked pasta and add it back to the large pot. Then, add 1 cup of the shredded vegan mozzarella and all of the sauce. Stir them together until they are well combined.
Pour the pasta into the greased dish. Spread the noodles out and then top it with the vegan parmesan and the remaining vegan mozzarella.
Cover the dish with foil and bake the pasta for about 15 minutes. Then, uncover it and bake it for a few more minutes for a crispy top. Covering the pasta at first will create steam that will help the vegan cheese melt and keep the pasta from drying out. Enjoy!
You can make this a big fancy meal by serving it with Broccoli and Beet Salad and Vegan Tiramisu for dessert!
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Stir in some vegan cream cheese or tofu ricotta for a creamy bite.
- Make it spicy with more red pepper flakes, cayenne seasoning, or jalapeños.
- Add vegetables such as diced bell peppers, mushrooms, baby spinach, or zucchini to the sauce.
- Try it with vegan cheddar cheese, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1 tbsp taco seasoning for a taco pasta flavor.
No-Waste Ideas
- Make Mexican Pizza or Queso Fundido with remaining vegan ground crumbles.
- Use leftover vegan mozzarella and parmesan to make Creamy Tomato Pasta or Ravioli.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat the baked spaghetti in the microwave until it’s heated through.
I hope you loved this recipe! If you try it, please let me know what you think with a rating and comment below. Your feedback really supports my blog and is helpful to other readers! 🙂 You can stay updated on my latest recipes by following me on Pinterest and joining my Email List.
Vegan Baked Spaghetti
Bonnie – Serene Trail
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles, (454g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10-13 ounces vegan ground "meat" crumbles, (283g)
- 24 ounces jar of pasta sauce, or tomato sauce, (680g)
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes, (411g)
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds, divided, (160g)
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese, (30g)
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a large (9×13) oven-safe dish with cooking spray, oil, or vegan butter. Dice the onions and mince the garlic.
- Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Cook the noodles to al dente according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the oil and then the onions. Sauté them for 4-5 minutes until they’re slightly translucent. Add the garlic and cook them for 1 minute.
- Add the vegan ground crumbles to the pan and stir them around to break up the clumps as they cook and get slightly crispy.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasoning. Stir occasionally as the sauce cooks on a low boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water from the cooked pasta and then add 1 cup of the shredded vegan mozzarella and all of the sauce to it. Stir this together.
- Pour the pasta into the greased dish. Spread it out and then top it with the vegan parmesan and remaining vegan mozzarella.
- Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake the pasta for 15 minutes and then uncover it and bake it for another 10 minutes. Garnish it with fresh herbs such as basil and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Try not to over-cook the spaghetti because it will cook further in the oven.
- Covering the pasta in the oven at first will create steam that will help the vegan cheese melt and keep the pasta from drying out too much. Then, we uncover it for the last 10 minutes for a crispy top.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate from third-party calculations.
