Vegan Manicotti (With Tofu Ricotta)

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Manicotti (With Tofu Ricotta)

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!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: to 6

Calories: 584kcal

Author: Toni

Equipment

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.

Nutrition