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    Home » Pasta and Noodles » Vegan Garlic Pasta Bake

    Vegan Garlic Pasta Bake

    Published: Jun 17, 2020 · Modified: Feb 1, 2022 by Jessica

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN SHARE

    This vegan garlic pasta bake is the BEST meal to feed a crowd or make ahead for a weeknight dinner. Filled with vegetables that are soaking in a rich and creamy garlic sauce, it seems like everyone loves this meal. Plus, it makes for great leftovers!

    There is a portion of a vegan garlic pasta bake on a plate with a baking dish containing more of the pasta on the side. There are 2 forks, 2 glass and a pitcher of water on the side as well as a small plate with ground black pepper.

    I am so happy to share one more favorite plant-based pasta recipe that we are in love with. I have made this vegan pasta bake so often and it is a big hit every time. The creamy sauce filled with roasted garlic is SO flavorful and the crunchy vegetables plus the crispy cheesy topping makes for such a great combo. I get so much positive feedback over this meal!

    This recipe is a vegan pasta casserole that's super easy to make, but requires a few steps. It will be totally worth it though! It is a super hearty and satisfying meal that's perfect for when you are craving comfort food, but still want something healthy.

    There is a portion of a vegan garlic pasta bake on a plate with a baking dish containing more of the pasta on the side. There is a fork on the plate as well as glasses of water in the background.

    Perfect crowd pleaser

    This is actually the meal I like to make when having both vegan and non-vegan guests for dinner (this vegan baked ziti is also great for this!). You can prepare it ahead of time, keep it in the fridge until dinner time and pop in the oven when everyone is getting hungry. It is such a family-friendly recipe that also suits for more formal types of dinner. The creamy garlic sauce imitates dairy rich pasta sauces that please all kinds of eaters. It makes for such a perfect stress-free if you are having dinner guests!

    There is a portion of a vegan garlic pasta bake on a plate with a baking dish containing more of the pasta on the side. There is a fork on the plate as well.

    How to make this vegan garlic pasta bake

    Here are the steps at a glance to prepare this dish (see below for detailed instructions):

    • Make the creamy blended sauce: start by soaking + draining cashews and roast 3 garlic heads in the oven (more informations below). Then, blend all the sauce ingredients (cashews, roasted garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and vegan milk) together until smooth.
    • There is a white bowl with cashews and a jar pouring water in the bowl.
    • There are soaked cashews in a fine-mesh colander
    • Showing is inside a blender containing vegan milk, cashews and spices.
    • You can see hand holding a head of roasted garlic that is pressing at the base to add the garlic to a blender.
    • Showing is inside a blender that is blending a creamy sauce.
    • Cook the noodles and the vegetables
    Showing is a large pan containing red and yellow pepper, peas, onion and asparagus with a hand stirring using a wooden spoon.
    • Combine noodles + veggies + sauce in a baking dish
    • Top with a panko topping (panko breadcrumbs + nutritional yeast + salt)
    • There is a oven baking dish containing noodles with vegetable and a white creamy sauce. There is a wooden spoon on the side as well as a black and white hand towel.
    • There is a oven baking dish containing noodles with vegetable and a white creamy sauce garnished with a panko mixture. There is a wooden spoon on the side as well as a black and white hand towel.
    • And bake in the oven!
    There is a oven baking dish containing noodles with vegetable and a white creamy sauce garnished with a panko mixture. There is a silver spoon on the side as well as a black and white hand towel. There is a portion of the pasta bake gone.

    How to make oil-free roasted garlic

    Most oven roasted garlic recipes calls for lots of oil, but you don't need it at all! You will need 3 large garlic heads for this recipe. Not garlic cloves, the complete head of garlic.

    Start by simply peeling the extra layers of the dry husk from the garlic heads. Then, cut the pointy extremities of the cloves, leaving them all attached together. Wrap the heads in aluminium foil to completely cover them. Transfer in the oven and bake for 40 minutes at 400° (enjoy the delicious aromas invading your house). Once done, let them cool down until you are able to handle them.

    Oven-roasted garlic is sweet, soft and super creamy. You can simply press at the base of the heads to get the creamy garlic out of their shells. I will also sometimes use scissors and cut the husk surrounding the individual roasted garlic cloves to help squeeze them out when I press on it. Roasted garlic is so good enjoyed straight on crackers and makes for an easy flavor enhancement for dips and sauces!

    • You can see 2 hands holding a head of garlic and peeling the husk off.
    • There is a knife cutting the pointy edge on a head of garlic
    • You can see a hand holding a head of garlic that was peeled with the pointy edges cut.
    • There are 2 hands wrapping a head of garlic in aluminium foil
    • There are 2 hand holding a head of garlic that was roasted in the oven while squeezing on the base to show the texture of the roasted garlic.
    • You can see a hand holding scissors and cutting the shell around the cloves on a head of garlic that was roasted in the oven

    Watch how to make a vegan garlic pasta bake

    What type of noodles to use

    Short noodles work best for this recipe as they are easier to scoop out of the baking dish and serve.

    Also, I recommend using a short noodle that has a cavity inside, like rigatoni, penne, ziti or macaroni. The sauce has more surface for coating which keep the sauce locked inside. This means more of the delicious garlic sauce at each bite!

    You can also use whole wheat noodles for this pasta bake to add more fiber and protein to your meal.

    Can I use other veggies?

    Of course! When making this recipe, I was looking for a primavera type of meal, with all of the spring inspired veggies. But, other veggies like mushrooms, broccoli, green beans and roasted carrots would also work very well. Try to swap the green peas for corn and you can also add leafy green to the pasta bake, as long as you wilt the leaves before adding to the pasta.

    Tips when making this vegan garlic pasta bake

    • Keep the noodles and veggies al dente! You do not want a mushy overcooked casserole. The noodles will soak up on some of the sauce while cooking, so keep this in mind when cooking them. I usually put a timer when cooking pasta so I make sure I don't miss on this one. Same thing for the veggies: keep them crunchy when cooking them in the pan.
    • I find that sweet onions work best for this recipe. I tend not to cook the onion too much to keep the slices crunchy for best texture, so using sweet onions will help keep the flavor not too strong as well.
    • I recommend to soak the cashews overnight in fresh water (or at least for 2 hours) before making the sauce. It simply makes them more blend-able and helps create a super smooth texture. You can also soak them in boiling water for about 30 minutes. If you forgot to soak them all together, but still need to keep going with the recipe, then just boil them for 5-10 minutes. Drain well before adding to the blender so you don't water down the consistency of the sauce.
    • I love using panko breadcrumbs for their extra crispiness texture. I use panko breadcrumbs from kikkoman (they also make a gluten-free one). But, if you only have regular breadcrumbs, then use these ones!

    Storage

    Store any leftovers in a air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It makes for a great meal-prep recipe as it stores pretty well. Great for lunches to-go as well.

    Close up on a vegan garlic pasta bake on a white plate with a fork on the side.

    Other creamy pasta recipe you might like

    • Cajun pasta
    • Vegan bechamel
    • Tahini pasta
    • Vegan Mac and Cheese
    • Vegan white sauce
    • Cauliflower Alfredo
    • Vegan creamy tomato pasta
    • Vegan baked mac and cheese
    • Vegan creamy avocado pasta

    I hope you enjoy this vegan pasta casserole recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

    Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.

    There is a portion of a vegan garlic pasta bake on a plate with a baking dish containing more of the pasta on the side. There are 2 forks, 2 glass and a pitcher of water on the side as well as a small plate with ground black pepper.

    Vegan Garlic Pasta Bake

    5 from 1 vote
    This vegan garlic pasta bake is the BEST meal to feed a crowd or make ahead for a weeknight dinner. Filled with vegetables that are soaking in a rich and creamy garlic sauce, it seems like everyone loves this meal. Plus, it makes for great leftovers!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
    Cashew soaking time2 hrs
    Servings 6
    Author Jessica Laroche

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Ingredients
      

    For the garlic cream sauce:

    • 1 ½ cup raw cashews - soaked for at least 2 hours, rinsed and drained
    • 3 large garlic heads
    • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 cup vegan plain milk
    • 1 ½ tsp salt

    Veggies:

    • 2 peppers, red, orange or yellow - sliced
    • 1 red onion or sweet onion - sliced
    • 1 bunch asparagus - edges removed and chopped in bite size
    • 1 ½ cup frozen green peas - thawed and well drained
    • salt and black pepper - to taste

    For the pasta bake:

    • 16 oz short pasta of your choice - cooked al dente (it will cook more in the oven)
    • 1 cup panko breadcrumb
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp nutritional yeast
    • black pepper

    Instructions
     

    Make the sauce

    • Pre-heat the oven to 400°.
    • Remove the dry skin layers around the garlic heads, but keep the cloves all attached together. Cut the pointy ends. Wrap in aluminium foil paper and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.
    • Once the garlic is cooked, removed the garlic paste by either pressing at the base of the whole head of garlic or gently cutting the sheet surrounding the clove and removing them one by one. Add the roasted garlic to a blender.
    • Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the blender (cashews, nutritional yeast, salt and vegan milk) and blend until smooth. Set aside.
    • Warm a large pan over medium heat. When warmed up, add the onion, pepper and asparagus and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but still crunchy. Add a little bit of water or oil to prevent the veggies from burning. This should take about 10-15 minutes. When the veggies are done, add the green peas to the pan, stir and turn off the heat.
    • In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumb, nutritional yeast, salt and black pepper to your taste.
    • In a large baking dish, stir to combine the cooked pasta, cooked veggies and the blended sauce. Distribute the panko mixture evenly over the noodles.
    • Cook, uncovered, in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • Store leftovers in a air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nancy says

      June 26, 2020 at 11:18 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and it is delicious. The sauce is creamy and the flavor is just right. I will make this again. Thanks Jess!

      Reply
      • plantbasedjess says

        June 30, 2020 at 1:34 am

        Oh I'm glad you liked it Nancy!

        Reply

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    ABOUT JESS


    Profile picture for Plant Based Jess in the kitchen.

    Hi there! I’m Jessica, a pasta obsessed French Canadian now living in beautiful Maine. I’m a mom of two, experienced foodie and ninja meal planner. I believe everyone can make stress-free plant-based meals with wholesome ingredients that your family and friends will love. 

    Join me in my kitchen to discover fun and creative recipes or click to find out more. Welcome!

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