There are baked pastas and then there are baked pastas like this Vegan Mediterranean Three-Cheese Baked Pasta — the kind that comes out of the oven bubbling and golden and smelling of roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and herbs and three distinct layers of plant-based cheese, and lands on the table looking so abundant and so deeply satisfying that everyone goes quiet for a moment before reaching for the serving spoon. This is that pasta. The one that earns its place as the centerpiece of any dinner table — the one that makes vegan baking feel not like a workaround but like a genuine, confident, extraordinary thing in its own right.
This recipe layers three vegan cheeses — a silky cashew ricotta, a sharp nutritional yeast and miso béchamel, and a stretchy vegan mozzarella that bubbles and browns in the oven — with rigatoni, roasted cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes into a baked pasta that is simultaneously rich and bright, deeply savory and full of the bold, herb-forward flavors of the Mediterranean. Each component earns its place: the cashew ricotta adds creaminess and body; the béchamel adds depth and savory richness; the mozzarella adds that essential, irresistible bubbled and browned top that makes a baked pasta feel complete.
What makes this recipe so outstanding is the roasting step — roasting the cherry tomatoes before adding them to the pasta concentrates their sweetness, caramelizes their edges, and intensifies their flavor into something deeply savory and almost jammy that elevates the entire dish in a way that raw or canned tomatoes simply cannot match.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally dairy-free, egg-free, ready in about 75 minutes, serves six generously, and is the kind of pasta you make when you want to genuinely impress someone — or when you simply want the most satisfying dinner of the week.
Recipe Information
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mins | 50 mins | 75 mins | 6 | ~550 kcal |
Ingredients
For the Roasted Tomatoes
- 300g (10oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
For the Cashew Ricotta
- 1½ cups (210g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
For the Vegan Béchamel
- 3 tbsp vegan butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480ml) unsweetened oat milk or soy milk
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Salt and white pepper to taste
For the Pasta
- 400g (14oz) rigatoni or penne
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 100g (3.5oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
- 150g (5oz) artichoke hearts (canned or jarred), drained and quartered
- 80g (3oz) Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 100g (3.5oz) fresh baby spinach
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Topping
- 150g (5oz) vegan mozzarella, shredded or torn
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- Chilli flakes
- Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for finishing
Instructions
- Roast the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sliced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20–25 minutes until collapsed, caramelized, and jammy. Set aside. Leave the oven on.
- Make the cashew ricotta. Drain the soaked cashews and add to a high-speed blender along with the water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and white pepper. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes until completely smooth and creamy — scrape down the sides as needed. The ricotta should be thick, smooth, and spreadable. Taste and adjust — more lemon for brightness, more nutritional yeast for cheesiness. Set aside.
- Make the béchamel. Melt the vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes until the mixture smells nutty and has turned a pale golden color — this cooks out the raw flour taste. Add the oat milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble — about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the nutritional yeast, miso paste, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 2 minutes less than the package directions — it will finish cooking in the oven and should go in slightly underdone. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, oregano, basil, and chilli flakes. Stir and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add the fresh spinach and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Season to taste.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables and toss to combine. Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices. Pour the béchamel over everything and toss gently, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the mixture seems too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Assemble. Transfer half the pasta mixture to a large, deep baking dish (approximately 9×13 inches / 23x33cm). Dot generously with half the cashew ricotta, dropping spoonfuls across the surface. Add the remaining pasta and dot with the remaining ricotta. Pour any remaining béchamel over the top. Scatter the vegan mozzarella evenly across the surface and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until the top is deep golden, the mozzarella is melted and bubbling, and the edges are caramelized and slightly crisp. If the top browns before the 20 minutes are up, tent loosely with foil and continue baking.
- Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Top with fresh basil leaves, chilli flakes, and a generous dusting of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast. Serve immediately directly from the baking dish.
Pro Tips
- Roast the tomatoes before adding them — this is the step that makes this pasta extraordinary rather than merely good. Roasted tomatoes are concentrated, caramelized, and deeply savory; raw tomatoes in a baked pasta release water and make the sauce thin and watery.
- Undercook the pasta before baking — pasta that is cooked to al dente before baking becomes overcooked and mushy in the oven. Pull it 2 minutes early and it will finish perfectly during the bake.
- Make the cashew ricotta completely smooth — any graininess in the ricotta will be noticeable in the finished dish. Blend on high for a full 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the texture is genuinely silky.
- Rest before serving — 5 minutes out of the oven allows the béchamel and ricotta to set slightly, making the pasta easier to serve in clean, generous portions rather than collapsing into a pool.
The Three Cheeses
What makes this baked pasta unusual — and unusually good — is the deliberate use of three distinct plant-based cheese preparations that each serve a specific function. The cashew ricotta provides body and creaminess, its mild, slightly tangy flavor punctuating the pasta in rich, cool pockets that contrast with the hot sauce. The nutritional yeast and miso béchamel provides the deep, savory, umami-rich coating that holds the whole dish together — the miso in particular providing a fermented depth that mimics aged cheese in a way that nutritional yeast alone cannot. The vegan mozzarella provides the essential visual and textural element of any great baked pasta: the bubbled, browned, slightly stretchy top that signals richness and indulgence and makes everyone reach for a corner piece first. Together, these three preparations create a layered complexity that no single cheese — vegan or otherwise — could achieve alone.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy Arrabbiata Three-Cheese Pasta: Add 2 teaspoons of chilli flakes and a tablespoon of tomato paste to the vegetable base for a fiery, tomato-forward version with building heat.
- Greek-Style Three-Cheese Pasta: Add crumbled vegan feta along with the ricotta and replace the olives with a tablespoon of capers for a sharper, saltier, more distinctly Greek flavor profile.
- Pesto Three-Cheese Pasta: Swirl 4 tablespoons of vegan basil pesto through the pasta before assembling for an herby, bright version with a vivid green color winding through the golden cheese topping.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fiber | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~550 kcal | 20g | 62g | 7g | 24g |
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers covered in the baking dish or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions covered for 2–3 minutes with a splash of plant milk to loosen.
- Freezer: The assembled, unbaked pasta freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Cover tightly with foil and freeze. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C) covered for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 15–20 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- Make ahead: The entire dish can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated unbaked. Add 10 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought vegan ricotta instead of making cashew ricotta?
Yes — a good quality store-bought vegan ricotta works well and saves a step. Look for one made from cashews or almonds for the creamiest result.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — use a gluten-free pasta and replace the all-purpose flour in the béchamel with a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in place of 3 tablespoons of flour). The result is equally creamy and delicious.
What can I use instead of artichoke hearts?
Roasted zucchini, roasted eggplant, or canned white beans are all excellent substitutes — each adds a different texture and flavor profile but works beautifully in the Mediterranean context of the dish.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes — penne, ziti, fusilli, or any medium-sized tube or ridged pasta works well. Avoid long pasta shapes like spaghetti or linguine, which do not hold up as well in baked pasta preparations.
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