Vegan Rigatoni Pasta Bake
This vegan rigatoni recipe is easy to make, packed with veggies, and high in plant-based protein. You can make this vegan pasta bake with any shape of pasta that you wish, but I like to use rigatoni so that the big holes in the center fill up with sauce and vegan cheese.

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I love to use my hidden-veggie bolognese in this rigatoni to add lots of protein and nutrients yet it’s still family-friendly and kid-approved. It’s a great way to pack in the veggies without picky eaters even noticing.
You’ll love vegan rigatoni because it’s
- rich, creamy, and cheesy.
- hearty and comforting.
- packed with hidden veggies.
- easily made gluten-free, nut-free, or soy-free.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Rigatoni Noodles – or any shaped pasta that you like. Spirals, small shells, ziti, or penne also work well.
- Tomato Sauce – any jarred pasta sauce that you like. You will need 2 (24 oz jars.) You can also use 2 (24 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes. Many recipes call for 1 jar of sauce, but I find it to be too dry. It bakes up with a nicer consistency with 2 jars of sauce. You can also use my homemade roasted tomato sauce or my roasted red pepper and tomato sauce.
- Vegan Beef Crumbles or Sausage – any vegan beef crumbles, crumbled beyond burgers, or Impossible burgers also work well. (For a spicier alternative use vegan Italian-style sausage.) You can dice up any store-bought vegan sausage links or you can make your own vegan sausage with my vegan sausage crumble recipe or seitan sausage links.
- Veggies – You will need about 3-4 cups of chopped veggies of choice. This is what I usually use…
- Onion – I sauté an onion before adding the sausage and tomato sauce for extra flavor in the rigatoni, but you can omit it if you prefer.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic works best, but you can substitute with 1/2 tsp of garlic powder if you like.
- Green Peppers – or any other sweet bell peppers, chopped finely. (optional)
- Zucchini – or summer squash, chopped finely. (optional)
- Carrots – to boost the nutrients and add some sweetness to the sauce.
- Mushrooms – to provide a meaty texture to the sauce.
- Olive Oil – to saute the vegetables.
- Italian Seasoning – for flavor.
- Salt – for flavor.
- Sugar – (optional) to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce. This is completely optional, but I usually buy a sauce that doesn’t contain sugar, so adding just a little enhances the flavor. If your sauce already has it, you probably won’t need to add any.
- Vegan Cheese – for the middle and top of your pasta bake! You can make it easy and sprinkle on a package of your favorite vegan cheese or you can use my homemade vegan mozzarella, vegan liquid pizza cheese, or vegan bechamel sauce.
How to make vegan rigatoni
Make the hidden veggie sauce
Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 375° F (190° C). Then start boiling the rigatoni in salted water until it is al dente (soft, but still very firm) then drain and rinse with cold water.
Step 2 – While the pasta is cooking, chop up the veggies of your choice into tiny pieces. (A food processor works great for this. Just wash the veggies and toss them in. Pulse a few times until everything is finely chopped).


Step 3 – Add a little oil to the bottom of a large skillet and saute diced onions for about 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
Step 4 – Add the chopped veggies and saute over medium-low heat for about 5 more minutes until they are soft.


Step 5 – Put in the package of vegan beef crumbles (or 3 veggie burgers or vegan sausage, chopped into small pieces) and cook over medium-high heat for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 6 – Pour in 2 jars of marinara sauce, 1 cup starchy pasta water (from cooking noodles), 1 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of sugar (if needed), and let simmer on the lowest setting.


Step 7 – Add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well until combined.
Assemble the rigatoni
Step 8 – Pour half of the sauce and noodles into the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch casserole dish.
Step 9 – Add a layer of vegan mozzarella cheese, then pour the remaining noodles and sauce over that layer of cheese.


Step 11 – Top your rigatoni with an additional 1 1/2 cups of vegan mozzarella cheese or a batch of vegan bechamel sauce.
Bake the pasta
Step 12 – Bake at 375° F (190° C) covered for 45 minutes, then take the foil off and bake for another 15-20 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Step 13 – Let it cool for about 10 minutes to firm up a little before spooning the baked rigatoni onto a plate.
Pro Tips
- If using vegan cheese, be sure to cover the rigatoni with foil for the first 45 minutes of baking to help the cheese melt.
- Serve your vegan rigatoni with a vegan Ceasar salad, broccoli salad, or Greek salad for a complete meal.
- I love to serve this with my vegan focaccia, simple no-knead baguettes, or my easy vegan olive bread too.

Storage and reheating
This vegan rigatini recipe makes a lot of food. If you are only 1 person or a small family you may want to cut the recipe in half, however, this pasta bake is delicious reheated for lunches and it freezes well, so it’s great for meal prep!
Storing – Cover any uneaten baked rigatoni and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating – To reheat your vegan pasta bake, microwave each serving for about 3 minutes. You can also sprinkle the rigatoni with 1-2 tbsp of water, cover with foil, and place the casserole dish back in the oven at 350° F (176° C) for about 15-20 minutes.
Freezing – Freeze the rigatoni in a tightly sealed container with minimal air surrounding the pasta. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the fridge.
How to make the vegan pasta bake ahead
If you want to make the veggie pasta bake ahead of time and have it ready to pop in the oven, simply assemble the rigatoni casserole as directed then cover it with foil, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking. It will require an additional 10-15 minutes of baking time since it will be very cold in the fridge.
How to make gluten-free rigatoni
Use firm gluten-free rigatoni pasta. I find that noodles made with a corn or quinoa base hold up the best in baked pasta dishes. Rice noodles will become mushy and don’t hold their shape when baked. Make sure to cook the noodles very al dente since they will continue to cook when baked.

If you’re looking for some more comforting Italian-inspired dinner recipes you should also check out my recipes for vegan lasagna, stuffed shells, and vegan goulash.
If you want a creamier pasta bake, try my baked ziti with tofu ricotta recipe.
More vegan comfort food
Vegan pasta bake recipe

Vegan Pasta Bake with Hidden Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package rigatoni, or any other pasta
Hidden veggie pasta sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped small
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped small
- 1 medium carrot, chopped small
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped small
- 1 10oz package vegan beef crumbles, (like beyond crumbles or burgers) or 4 vegan sausage links chopped
- 2 (24 oz) jars tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sugar, (optional)
For the middle and top layers
- 3 cups vegan mozzarella cheese, divided.
Equipment
- 1 large lasagna pan
Instructions
Make the hidden veggie sauce
- Preheat your oven to 375° F (190° C). Then start boiling the rigatoni in salted water until it is al dente (soft, but still very firm) then drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop up the veggies of your choice into very small pieces. (A food processor works great for this. Just wash the veggies and toss them in. Pulse a few times until everything is finely chopped). (You can use whatever veggies that you have on hand, but about 3-4 cups of chopped vegetables work well.)
- Add a little oil to the bottom of a large skillet and sauté diced onions for about 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
- Add the chopped veggies and sauté over medium-low heat for about 5 more minutes until they are soft.
- Put in the package of vegan beef crumbles (or 3 veggie burgers or vegan sausage, chopped into small pieces) and cook over medium-high heat for an additional 5 minutes.
- Pour in 2 jars of marinara sauce, 1 cup starchy pasta water (from cooking noodles), 1 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of sugar (if needed), and let simmer on the lowest setting.
- Add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well until combined.
Assemble the rigatoni
- Pour half of the sauce and noodles into the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch casserole dish.
- Add a layer of vegan mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/2 cups), then pour the remaining noodles and sauce over that layer of cheese.
- Top your rigatoni with an additional 1 1/2 cups of vegan mozzarella cheese or a batch of vegan bechamel sauce.
Bake the pasta
- Bake at 375° F (190° C) covered with foil for 45 minutes, then take the foil off and bake for another 15-20 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned on top.
- Let it cool for about 10 minutes to firm up a little before spooning the baked rigatoni onto a plate.
Notes
- If using vegan cheese, be sure to cover the rigatoni with foil for the first 45 minutes of baking to help the cheese melt.
- Serve your vegan rigatoni with a vegan Ceasar salad, broccoli salad, or Greek salad for a complete meal.
- I love to serve this with my vegan focaccia, simple no-knead baguettes, or my easy vegan olive bread too.
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Wow and wow! Made tonight for family dinner and everyone devoured it. So delicious! This makes a big pan, so come hungry!