Vegan Manicotti is a cheesy pasta dish the whole family will love! It’s stuffed with creamy vegan ricotta cheese, covered with marinara sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese, and then baked until it’s gooey and bubbly.
Are you craving more amazing vegan pasta bake recipes? Check out my Vegan Mac and Cheese, Baked Ziti and Pumpkin Pasta Bake with Almond Ricotta while you’re here.
If you’re a fan of my Vegan Stuffed Shells or Vegan Lasagna, then you’ll be head over heels for this Vegan Manicotti recipe!
This Italian-American meal stuffs manicotti shells with homemade tofu and cashew ricotta cheese before they’re covered with marinara sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese. Baked until gooey, cheesy, and bubbly, it’s an ultra-comforting meal that both adults and kids can’t get enough of!
Why you’ll love this easy vegan manicotti recipe
- For cheese lovers – Stuffed with vegan ricotta and topped with melted vegan mozzarella, manicotti is always a hit with cheese lovers—vegan or not!
- An easy make-ahead meal – Assemble the easy manicotti, then pop it in the fridge or freezer until you need a family-friendly meal in a pinch.
- Kid-approved – The layers of creamy melted vegan cheese, pasta, and tomato sauce make this meal irresistible to both adults and kids.
How to make vegan manicotti
Make the vegan ricotta by processing the cashews in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. Break the tofu into chunks before adding it to the food processor along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, basil, and oregano. Pulse until well combined.
If the ricotta seems dry at this point, pulse in a few tablespoons of water until it’s creamy and smooth.
Boil the manicotti shells until they’re partially cooked, for 6 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water to prevent them from sticking.
Transfer the vegan ricotta to a piping bag or large ziplock bag and pipe it into the manicotti shells until they’re full.
How to stuff manicotti shells: The easiest way is to fill a tube halfway with ricotta, then flip it around and finish filling it from the other side.
To assemble the vegan ricotta manicotti, spread some marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Transfer the stuffed manicotti shells to the baking dish, narrow side up. Pour the remaining pasta sauce over top before adding the vegan mozzarella.
Both store-bought and homemade vegan mozzarella work well! If you use my Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese recipe, drop spoonfuls of the cheese on top of the top layer of marinara.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake until the cheese melts and browns. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Vegan manicotti is comforting and filling all on its own but if you’re craving a true Italian feast, serve it with dollops of Vegan Pesto on top and Vegan Focaccia or Vegan Garlic Bread and Vegan Caesar Salad on the side.
Frequently asked questions
Cannelloni and manicotti have a lot in common. Both are both tubular-shaped pastas that are traditionally stuffed with cheese, covered in tomato sauce, and baked. The only difference is that manicotti tubes have ridges and are larger and thicker, making them easier to stuff with fillings.
You can sneak a little more nutrition into this meal by stirring finely chopped baby spinach, cooked shallots, drained and chopped artichoke hearts, or sauteed mushrooms into the ricotta.
I haven’t tested it, but blanched slivered almonds should work as a substitute for the cashews. To keep the ricotta recipe nut-free, omit the cashews or replace them with sunflower seeds.
Stuff the manicotti shells with my almond-based Vegan Ricotta instead of using this cashew-tofu version.
Yes! Just use gluten-free manicotti noodles instead of regular noodles.
Yes, the manicotti can be assembled and kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for about 1 month. Let the frozen manicotti thaw in the fridge before baking as normal.
Once the baked manicotti is cool, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.
Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave or a 350ºF oven until warmed through.
Vegan Manicotti
Ingredients
Vegan Ricotta
- 1 cup raw cashews or slivered almonds
- 14.5 ounce firm tofu drained
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- water as needed
The Rest
- 8 ounce box manicotti shells
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella homemade or store bought
Instructions
- Prepare – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and get out a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Make the ricotta – Add the cashews to a food processor and process until fine and crumbly. Now break the tofu into chunks (no need to press it first) and add it to the food processor, along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, basil and oregano. Pulse until well combined. If it seems too thick and dry, add a few tablespoons of water at a time until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
- Boil the manicotti – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells for 6 minutes. They will only be partially cooked and will cook further in the oven. Drain well and rinse with cold water.
- Pipe the filling – Transfer the ricotta to a large pastry bag or ziplock type bag. Cut of a 3/4 inch corner of the bag and pipe the filling into both ends of the manicotti shells until completely full.
- Assemble and bake – Spread 3/4 cup of the marinara evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Transfer the stuffed manicotti shells to the baking dish. Pour the rest of the sauce over the manicotti. Sprinkle the cheese on top (or drop the homemade mozzarella in spoonfuls). Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover, and bake for 10-15 minutes more, and then broil for a few minutes so the cheese melts and browns, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
-
You can assemble this and refrigerate for 2 days in advance, or freeze for later. If you freeze it, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Leftovers will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator and can also be frozen. Simply reheat in the microwave or oven until warm.
- For gluten free, use gluten free manicotti shells.
I could not believe how good this was. I have a tree nut allergy so I crossed my fingers and tried it without the cashews, and even then it was still good. When I took my first bite after cooking it, it wasn’t quite right. It was my first time trying a vegan version of a dish I had previously made with ricotta. I put it in the fridge and try it again the next day and it was so much better! At least in my experience, it was very helpful to give the flavors a chance to come together.
Sooooo delicious and the easiest manicotti recipe I’ve tried. I doubled it and it left me with just enough extra to use with crackers for a party side. Thank you!!
You are welcome, Stephanie! Thank YOU for using my recipe, and for sharing your wonderful feedback! Happy cooking!
I would gives this 10 stars if possible. My family loved it. I really like that you don’t have to soak the cashews for the ricotta, such a time saver if you don’t plan ahead. The only change I made was adding more fresh basil than directed. Piping the ricotta into the manicotti tubes wasn’t difficult, I used a thin plastic bread bag. I will be making this again very soon. THANK YOU Nora!
For years my husband would say “I really want manicotti”. For years I told him I wasn’t a fan. This past year, for his birthday, I decided to make this. I must say, it was amazing! As a non-vegan, I did add turkey to the tomato sauce but otherwise, I made as written. I’ve made it atleast 3x since April. Thank you!
My husband and I have been loving this recipe!! It’s. So delicious and I can’t count how many times I’ve made it since I found it! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
This recipe is this month’s new obsession. It’s eyes rolling in the back of the head good. I do have a question. If I omitted the cashews, would it affect the recipe negatively?
Thanks Jodi, I’m happy you’re enjoying the recipe! I would miss the cashews personally. You could sub more tofu I suppose, or even raw slivered almonds or probably sunflower seeds for the cashews.
This turned out great! We have nut allergies so I used sunflower seeds instead of cashews and used about a scant cup (what I had on hand). I soaked them for 20 minutes in boiling water before processing all the ricotta cheese ingredients together and didn’t need any additional water. It was a great family recipe! The kids liked it a lot – Thanks!
You are welcome, Kari! I’m glad the meal was a hit with your family! Thanks for sharing your recipe experience and great review!
Thank you for another delicious recipe Nora! I subbed your stuffed shell ricotta recipe (a tried and true favorite in my house with extra spinach!) and omitted the vegan cheese.