Peel and dice an onion then saute it in 1 tbsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until it's translucent.
Add vegan sausage (diced up small if using sausage links) or "beef" crumbles and saute for 3-4 more minutes.
Pour in 2 jars of tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of sugar (if needed), and let simmer on the lowest setting.
Boil the ziti according to package directions to cook it al dente.
Make the tofu ricotta: (or use other vegan ricotta)
While the pasta is boiling make your tofu ricotta by blending 1 block of pressed firm tofu, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, a handful of basil, and 1 tsp salt in your food processor until creamy. You can add a splash of plant-based milk or water if it's too thick.
Assemble the baked ziti
Drain and rinse cooked pasta and add it to the sauce and stir well.
Pour half of the sauce and noodles into the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch casserole dish.
Spoon dollops of vegan ricotta on the noodles.
Pour the remaining sauce and noodles over the ricotta.
Top your ziti with 1 cup of vegan mozzarella cheese or a batch of vegan bechamel sauce.
Make the vegan bechamel sauce: (or top with vegan cheese)
Warm 2 1/2 cups of milk.
Melt 4 tbsp of vegan butter in a saucepan then add 4 tbsp of white flour and stir until you get a thick roux.
Slowly add the warm milk while stirring constantly until you have a thick sauce. Add the salt and nutmeg to taste and then pour over your ziti.
Bake the ziti:
Bake at 375° F (190° C) for 1 hour until bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes to firm up a little before spooning it onto a plate.
Notes
If using vegan cheese, cover the ziti with foil for the first 40 minutes hour of baking to help the cheese melt.