Vegan Manicotti with Tofu Ricotta (Easy Recipe)

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Looking for a delicious family Italian dinner your whole family will adore? This vegan manicotti is going to be loved by everyone! You can make it all from scratch or use my kitchen time-savers depending on how much time you have to cook. This recipe will become your new go-to dairy-free comfort food!

Overhead view on 2 vegan manicotti filled with a dairy-free tofu and white bean ricotta.

This easy vegan manicotti recipe will have everyone ask for more.

I love making baked pasta dishes for family dinners or meal prep on the weekend and enjoying them later in the week.

This garlic cream veggie pasta casserole is a regular in our house, but also this baked ziti for when I want something done quicker.

This time I made baked vegan manicotti for a change! This recipe is similar to my vegan lasagna roll-ups, but uses manicotti noodles instead.

Manicotti are large tubular-shaped noodles that are stuffed in this case with a super simple dairy-free white bean and tofu ricotta cheese. The creamy filling is so rich and flavorful and done quickly in a food processor.

Then, cover the stuffed manicotti with a delicious marinara sauce and drizzle white sauce for a creamy finish that feels like a real cheese sauce. Bake in the oven until perfectly tender and golden brown. Such a treat!

You can make this recipe super fast by using a store-bought marinara sauce and garnish with vegan mozzarella instead of blending the white sauce. But if you have a few extra minutes, then try making the sauces from scratch for a more authentic dish that's loaded with huge flavors.

It makes for such a delightful plant-based comfort food meal you can serve to anyone who loves Italian-inspired recipes. The leftovers are great too, so don't hesitate to make more!

Let me know if you gave it a try! ❤️

Overhead view on a dairy-free manicotti baked dish.

Why you will love this recipe

Very flavorful and satisfying, such a favorite vegan comfort food recipe!
It combines various fillings and sauces to create a stunning and harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
Can be made ahead if you love to meal-prep
Family-friendly and kids love it!
Perfect meal to serve your guests, whether they are vegan or not
Vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free

What you will need

Manicotti shells pasta: manicotti are tubular-shaped pasta meant for stuffing. You should be able to find them in most grocery stores. Cannelloni noodles work just the same if that's all you can find (manicotti are ribbed vs cannelloni are smooth).
Marinara sauce: you can make your own marinara sauce or use a jarred marinara for a quicker and easier version. I used 24 ounces of store-bought marinara to make mine to save some time.
Vegan white sauce: used to cover the dish before baking. You can find the easy recipe on the website. You might have more than you need, so use the extra for another meal! You can also swap for store-bought vegan mozzarella cheese shreds.
Tofu: use extra firm tofu or firm tofu. You will need a block of 14 or 16 ounces for this recipe.
Canned white beans: I used cannellini beans, although navy or butter beans work too.
Nutritional yeast: gives a mild cheese flavor to the vegan ricotta filling.
Lemon: for a mild tangy flavor typical of ricotta cheese.
Garlic: to help boost the flavor of the ricotta. I used 2 cloves of garlic, but you can add more for a stronger garlic taste.
Spices: I used a mix of dried oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. You can also use some Italian seasoning as well.

Showing are the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How to make vegan manicotti

There are a few components to this recipe, so to make it easier you could make the marinara, ricotta and white sauce ahead of time. Or, simply follow the easy swap tips below for a speedy weeknight dinner!

Make the marinara sauce

You can make a marinara sauce from scratch using canned tomatoes following my recipe online or simply grab a jar of marinara from the store.

Cook the manicotti pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the manicotti until barely al dente, which should be about 6-7 minutes. Once done, drain and rinse in cold water.

Make the vegan ricotta cheese filling

Remove the tofu from the packaging and drain well. Wrap the block in some paper towels to remove the excess water. Also, drain and rinse the can of white beans.

Roughly break the tofu into large chunks and transfer to a food processor. Add the white beans and then process until mostly smooth.

Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, fresh garlic, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of salt.

Process until smooth and add some water as needed (a few tablespoons at a time) to create a consistency that's similar to regular ricotta (check out the video below for a visual).

Taste and adjust salt and other flavorings to your taste and set aside.

Make the white Alfredo sauce topping

You can follow this vegan white sauce recipe on the blog or for an easier version, simply use store-bought vegan mozzarella cheese.

Assemble and bake

Preheat the oven to 350º.

You can use your favorite casserole dish for making this recipe (I used a large lasagna-style dish), although any kind will work as long as you have enough space for about 8-12 manicotti.

Add about 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread it out.

Transfer the ricotta cheese into a large plastic bag (or a pastry bag) and use your hand to push the filling towards the bottom. Then, cut a corner of the bag.

One manicotti at a time, pipe the vegan ricotta mixture into the manicotti tubes. Be gentle not to break the pasta and switch sides if needed to fill it all the way (see video).

Place the filled manicotti in the baking dish and keep going until you are done with the noodles.

Add the remaining marinara sauce on top of the noodles (1-2 cups) and then, drizzle some of the white sauce over (you will have more than you need, keep the rest of the white sauce for something else).

Cover with some aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, turn up the oven to 450º, uncover and bake for 10-15 more minutes watching carefully.

Pro-tips

Add the garlic crushed and not whole to the food processor to avoid larger chunks of raw garlic in the ricotta.
It can be a little gentle to fill the manicotti pasta. To help the process, use a piping bag as described above opposed to using a spoon. Keeping the noodles al dente and not allowing them to overcook will also help them not be too fragile.
Check on the manicotti noodles packaging as some are no-boil. You can use no-boil manicotti as well, which will make you skip boiling them in water. In that case, be sure to completely cover the no-boil pasta with tomato sauce in the baking dish to ensure the noodles cook properly in the oven. If using no-boil noodles, then you can also use a small spoon to fill the manicotti pasta shells.
If you cannot find manicotti noodles (or cannelloni noodles, which is simply a smooth version of the rigged manicotti noodles), then you can make this recipe using regular lasagna noodles. Check out my lasagna roll-ups recipe to see how I make them. Or, use large shell noodles!

View on a vegan bake pasta dish made with manicotti.

What to serve with manicotti

While this dish is a satisfying meal on its own, it also pairs beautifully with a variety of sides and garnishes.

Bread

I like serving marinara-based pasta recipes with bread to be able to dip it in the extra sauce. In this case, the mix of rich tomato with the creamy white sauce will give you plenty of dipping yumminess. Try pairing it with garlic bread, whole wheat rolls or focaccia.

Salad

A light salad counterbalances perfectly the creamy and warm manicotti pasta bake that can feel heavy. This fresh kale apple salad would be great, but also try a simple green salad with a basil balsamic dressing or a vegan honey mustard vinaigrette.

Vegetables

This dish is not very heavy in veggies, which you can complement by roasting some in the oven while the pasta bakes. Asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower would go great with this meal.

Garnishing

If you do not want to make the white sauce and don't have vegan cheese on hand, then you can also make this vegan parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the baked pasta (before or after it is baked).

Or simply combine some breadcrumbs with seasonings, nutritional yeast, a little olive oil and dollop over the dish before baking for a nice little crust.

Also, try covering with sliced fresh basil for flavor and a nice pop in color and add some red pepper flakes for some heat.

Variations to the recipe

You can also easily personalize your manicotti meal by swapping some of the ingredients and adding more to it. Here are a few ideas:

No tofu: If you are looking for a soy-free recipe, then simply omit the tofu and use 2 cans of white beans instead. Or make a cashew ricotta! Also make sure the marinara you are using is soy-free.
Veggie-filled: you can add more veggies to the ricotta filling for a boost in nutrients. Try adding some spinach, peas, kale, red pepper or broccoli. Cook the veggies first and remove the extra moisture before folding them in the ricotta. This caramelized onion and mushroom recipe would be amazing to add more veggies and flavor to the ricotta.
Pesto-flavored: add a few spoonfuls of pesto to the ricotta mixture to add more flavor and color too. You can use store-bought or make your own! Try this roasted red pepper pesto or this cashew pesto.
Roasted garlic: for a robust garlic flavor, roast a head of garlic until soft and caramelized (at 400º for about 30 minutes, check out my garlic cream pasta), then mash it into the ricotta mixture.
Mediterranean flavor booster: chop and add a small amount of kalamata olives, marinated artichokes, capers or roasted red pepper to the ricotta filling.
Herbed: add some fresh herbs right into the ricotta filling. Basil is especially great in this case, but parsley, thyme, rosemary or oregano also work well.

Overhead view on 2 vegan manicotti on a plate with a fork.

Storage tips

This manicotti recipe is such a great make-ahead meal as it stores well.

The noodles tend to tenderize a little more while resting in the fridge, but the manicotti are still as amazing.

Keep the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Freezing

To freeze leftover vegan manicotti, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Let the manicotti thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. It can be a great idea to freeze the leftovers in individualized portions for easy grab-and-go.

Reheating

Ideally, try to reheat in the oven at 350° for about 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. You can also use the microwave for a quicker leftover meal.

FAQs

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

The sauces and ricotta filling are naturally gluten-free. Look for GF noodles to make this dish GF!

How can I prevent the manicotti from becoming soggy?

The best way to keep a great texture for this dish is to cook the noodles al dente and not all the way through. I recommend you cook them 1 minute less than the al dente cooking time on the packaging. They will cook more in the oven!

Can I make it without tofu?

Yes! Check out my cashew ricotta cheese for a soy-free ricotta or simply omit the tofu in this recipe and use 2 cans of white beans instead (you might need to adjust the flavoring accordingly).

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes absolutely! You can assemble the whole dish, cover it very well and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking. I recommend taking it out of the fridge for 1-2 hours before baking to bring it to room temperature. If you bake it straight from the fridge, then bake for longer.

Front view on a plate with 2 manicotti showing the dairy-free tofu and white bean ricotta filling.

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I hope you like this vegan manicotti 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!

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