This vegan manicotti is hearty, comforting, and irresistibly delicious - packed with vegan ricotta, marinara sauce, and bubbly vegan mozzarella for a cozy, family-friendly meal!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you love vegan white lasagna or vegan stuffed shells, you're going to fall head over pasta for this vegan manicotti! Instead of stuffing jumbo shells, this recipe fills tender pasta tubes with rich, creamy tofu ricotta, smothers them in marinara sauce, and bakes them with melty vegan mozzarella. The result? A 'cheesy', saucy, low-fuss, comforting meal.
This Italian-American classic is surprisingly easy to make, with minimal ingredients but maximum flavor. Plus, it's child-approved, freezer-friendly, and make-ahead-friendly-great for busy weeknights! Whether you're a pasta lover or just craving something cozy, this dish is a pasta lover's dream and is guaranteed to hit the spot.
Looking for more cozy pasta dishes to add to your rotation? Check out my vegan baked ziti and easy vegan carbonara.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
You may prefer using a blend of tofu and cashews, like the ricotta of my vegan white lasagna.
The Add-ins and Variations:
- Vegan bechamel sauce: Spread it beneath and over the dairy-free manicotti before adding marinara, like the one in my vegan white lasagna.
- Spices: A pinch of nutmeg, onion powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, etc., adds depth to the manicotti filling.
- Spinach: Use frozen spinach, fully thawed, squeezed, and chopped.
- Other vegetables: Add sautéed mushrooms, artichoke hearts, peas, red pepper, sweet potato, or shredded broccoli to the vegan manicotti filling.
- Pesto: Add a spoonful or two to the vegan ricotta for herby, savory depth.
How to Make Vegan Manicotti
Step 1: Lightly oil a deep 9x13-inch baking dish and spread half the marinara across the bottom. Blend the tofu ricotta ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Adjust the seasonings and lemon amount if needed. Then, transfer the mixture to a pastry bag.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the manicotti pasta according to the package instructions until al dente (6-7 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Fill the pasta tubes with tofu ricotta and place them in a single layer in the baking dish. Save any leftover filling.
Step 4: Top the vegan stuffed manicotti with the remaining marinara sauce and dollops of the leftover vegan ricotta. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and tender. Remove the foil, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve. Enjoy!
FAQs
If you're confused. Don't worry, you aren't the only one. Manicotti, meaning "sleeves," was actually originally made with thin crepes in Italy.
The Italian-American version, however, uses ridged pasta tubes and is similar to cannelloni (sometimes used synonymously), which is made with rolled pasta sheets or smooth tubes. Both are stuffed with a ricotta filling and baked with sauce and cheese.
Sure! Just use gluten-free noodles instead.
You can prepare the vegan ricotta mixture 2-3 days in advance. Alternatively, assemble and refrigerate the unbaked dish for up to 2 days or freeze it unbaked for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 50-60 minutes.
Pro Recipe Notes and Tips
- To evenly fill: It may be helpful to pipe the filling halfway from both ends.
- To avoid soggy pasta: Par-cook it (6 minutes is the sweet spot) as it'll continue cooking in the oven.
- Cover the baking dish fully: This ensures the pasta remains soft and the toppings melt without drying out. Uncover for the last few minutes for crispier edges.
- Use good-quality marinara: This adds lots of flavor to the dish, so make sure it's tasty.
What To Serve With Manicotti
This rich, comforting tofu ricotta pasta dish pairs well with bread and lighter sides, like:
- Crusty bread (including garlic herb dinner rolls), easy air fryer garlic bread, or easy garlic herb focaccia
- A simple side salad, Caesar salad, or an Italian chopped salad
- Roasted or grilled veg - asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, broccoli, etc.
- A small bowl of vegan soup
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Covered/in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freeze: For up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Then, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: Microwave (2-3 minutes) or bake covered at 350F/180C until hot.
If you try this easy vegan manicotti recipe (as written or with changes), I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments. I'd also appreciate a recipe card rating!
Vegan Manicotti (With Tofu Ricotta)
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Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) box of manicotti pasta
- 2 pounds firm tofu drained
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup fresh basil plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 16 ounces marinara sauce
- Vegan mozzarella (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, basil, olive oil, juice of one lemon, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning or lemon juice if needed. The ricotta should be flavorful since it is the main component of the dish. Set aside.
- Cook the manicotti pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking.
- Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Transfer the tofu ricotta into a pastry bag or a large plastic bag with the tip cut off.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Carefully fill each manicotti shell with the tofu ricotta, then place it in the baking dish on top of the marinara sauce. Repeat until all the manicotti are filled. Set aside any leftover tofu ricotta for later.
- Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed manicotti.
- Add dollops of the remaining tofu ricotta on top. Optionally, sprinkle with vegan mozzarella.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, uncover, and sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- To evenly fill: It may be helpful to pipe the filling halfway from both ends.
- To avoid soggy pasta: Par-cook it (6 minutes is the sweet spot) as it'll continue cooking in the oven.
- Cover the baking dish fully: This ensures the pasta remains soft and the toppings melt without drying out. Uncover for the last few minutes for crispier edges.
- Use good-quality marinara: This adds lots of flavor to the dish, so make sure it's tasty.
Andrea says
Love this dish so much!