Fall in love with this creamy, cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta bake with a crusty breadcrumb and cheese topping!
The name may sound like a mouthful, but this cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta bake does really make an incredibly tasty mouthful. Shell pasta, cauliflower florets and chunks of tomato are submerged in a silky, cheesy cashew alfredo-like sauce, then topped with a mix of panko breadcrumbs and vegan cheese that turns crusty and golden in the oven. It's the perfect contrast to the silky pasta! This is a vegan, soy-free recipe that can be gluten-free.
If you enjoy making and eating easy, delicious pasta dinners like these vegan stuffed shells, vegan manicotti and this Instant Pot vegan pasta bake, you will love this cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta bake.
There's a lot to love here, including the silk-smooth sauce flavored with basil and oregano, the perfectly cooked cauliflower florets and al dente pasta, and tart, juicy bits of tomato. Best of all is the amazing, crusty, savory panko breadcrumb and vegan cheese topping, which offers a nice contrast to all of these other textures.
Why you'll love this cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta bake
- It has so many delicious flavors and textures. There's the smooth and cheesy cashew cream sauce, the tart, juicy tomatoes, the perfectly cooked cauliflower and the slightly chewy pasta. The basil and oregano add so much flavor and the crusty, savory topping on top of all this will make your tastebuds sing.
- This is a meal in a pot, meaning you get everything you need in this single dish, including the veggies, carbs and protein. And you can make tweaks to add more protein by bunging in some white beans or tofu cubes.
- It is so easy to make. If you already have some of my easy cashew parmesan on hand it will take you minutes to pull together the rest of the recipe.
- It is hearty and filling and healthy. There are so many good-for-you ingredients in this recipe. I portioned this into eight servings, but those are very hearty servings and you could feed more people with this single casserole.
- Kids love it. If you have young family members this is a great dish to serve them. With the savory, cheesy flavors they will absolutely love it. It's one of Jay's favorites.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta. I used small shell pasta. Regular sized shell pasta or any small pasta, including macaroni, penne, cappellini, casarecce and farfalle, would work well here. I'd stay away from very small pasta shapes like ditalini or orzo. If you are gluten-free use a gf pasta.
- ½ cup raw cashews. If you are nut-free use pumpkin seeds instead.
- 2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Or use 1 tablespoon fresh oregano.
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 3 large tomatoes
- A handful of basil. About ¼ cup, packed.
- ½ cup vegan parmesan
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the topping
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs. Or use any breadcrumbs, including gluten-free.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
How to make cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until halfway cooked. Don't cook it all the way because the pasta will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the pasta and reserve half a cup of the pasta water.
- Make the creamy sauce: While the pasta is cooking make the cashew sauce. Place the cashews in a blender with the vegetable stock or water, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and ground black pepper. Blend into a very smooth sauce.
- Make the savory topping: In a small bowl mix all the topping ingredients together. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Put the pasta ingredients together: Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl with the tomatoes, basil, vegan parmesan, vegan cheddar cheese shreds, cashew sauce, reserved ½ cup of pasta water, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Pour into baking dish. You will need a four-quart baking dish for this. Coat it lightly with cooking spray, then pour the pasta into the dish. Cover with foil. I used my cast iron braiser, which has a lid, and I just covered the braiser with the lid.
- Bake the pasta. Bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil or lid and continue baking 25 more minutes. At the end of baking turn the broiler on and broil on high for 2-3 minutes so the topping turns very crusty and golden. Keep a close eye so it doesn't burn.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add more vegetables to this recipe?
You can add more veggies but make sure you don't add any that express a lot of liquid because that will change up the ratio of pasta to water and you could end up with a watery casserole. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale would all be great additions.
Can I add more protein to the pasta bake?
You can stir in 28 oz of white beans or 14 oz of cubed, extra firm tofu for a protein bump. Adjust the seasoning if you add more ingredients and keep in mind that this is already quite a large quantity of cooked pasta.
Can I use gluten-free pasta?
You definitely can. As with the regular wheat pasta make sure you undercook the gf pasta. You might also want to add an additional half cup water to soak up all the additional starch the gf pasta will release. Adjust the seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper if needed.
What should I serve this pasta with?
This is a meal in a single pot, so you don't really need a side. But with pasta bakes like these I often add a fresh, leafy side salad for a nice contrast.
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can put the various pasta elements, including the sauce and parm, together up to three days before baking and refrigerate. Also make sure you chop the cauliflower and refrigerate. If you make the pasta ahead, which you can, spray with some oil and mix so it doesn't stick, before refrigerating. You can also put the entire casserole together, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to three days before baking. Or cover with freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to three months. Bake and serve.
- Refrigerate: Pasta leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to four months.
Related recipes
Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Pasta Bake
A cheesy vegan cauliflower pasta bake with shell pasta, cauliflower florets and chunks of tomato submerged in a silky, cheesy cashew alfredo-like sauce, then topped with a mix of panko breadcrumbs and vegan cheese that turns crusty and golden in the oven. This is a vegan, soy-free recipe that can be gluten-free.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 451kcal
Equipment
- 4-quart baking dish or large oven-safe saucepan or braiser.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (I used small shell pasta. Regular sized shell pasta or any small pasta, including macaroni, penne, cappellini, casarecce and farfalle, would work well here. I'd stay away from very small pasta shapes like ditalini or orzo. If you are gluten-free use a gf pasta.)
- ½ cup raw cashews (use pumpkin seeds if nut-free)
- 2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or use 1 tablespoon fresh oregano)
- 1 medium head cauliflower (separated into small, bite-size florets)
- 3 large tomatoes (diced)
- ¼ packed cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup vegan parmesan
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the crunchy topping
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs (or any breadcrumbs. Use gf breadcrumbs if gf)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until halfway cooked. Don't cook it all the way because the pasta will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the pasta and reserve half a cup of the pasta water.
- Make the creamy sauce: While the pasta is cooking make the cashew sauce. Place the cashews in a blender with the vegetable stock or water, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and ground black pepper. Blend into a very smooth sauce.
- Make the savory topping: In a small bowl mix all the topping ingredients together. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Put the pasta ingredients together: Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl with the tomatoes, basil, vegan parmesan, vegan cheddar cheese shreds, cashew sauce, and salt and ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Pour into baking dish. You will need a four-quart baking dish for this. Coat it lightly with cooking spray, then pour the pasta into the dish. Cover with foil. I used my cast iron braiser, which has a lid, and I just covered the braiser with the lid.
- Bake the pasta. Bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil or lid and continue baking 25 more minutes. At the end of baking turn the broiler on and broil on high for 2-3 minutes so the topping turns very crusty and golden. Keep a close eye so it doesn't burn.
Recipe notes
- You can add more veggies to this pasta bake but make sure you don't add any that express a lot of liquid because that will change up the ratio of pasta to water and you could end up with a watery casserole. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale would all be great additions.
- For more protein you can stir in 28 oz of white beans or 14 oz of cubed, extra firm tofu. Adjust the seasoning if you add more ingredients and keep in mind that this is already quite a large quantity of cooked pasta.
- You can use gluten free pasta in this recipe. As with the regular wheat pasta make sure you undercook the gf pasta. You might also want to add an additional half cup water to soak up all the additional starch the gf pasta will release. Adjust the seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper if needed.
- This is a meal in a single pot, so you don't really need a side. But with pasta bakes like these I often add a fresh, leafy side salad for a nice contrast.
- Make-ahead: You can put the various pasta elements, including the sauce and parm, together up to three days before baking and refrigerate. Also make sure you chop the cauliflower and refrigerate. If you make the pasta ahead, which you can, spray with some oil and mix so it doesn't stick, before refrigerating. You can also put the entire casserole together, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to three days before baking. Or cover with freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to three months. Bake and serve.
- Refrigerate: Pasta leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to four months.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Potassium: 616mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 702IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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Karen Watkins
This is a great recipe. I miss crunchy toppings but haven't found any vegan recipes that create the crunch like this one. The vegan cheese and herb combination works well with the cashew sauce. The pasta was a quinoa and rice formulation. I was concerned we wouldn't like the gluten-free pasta plain. It was perfect for this recipe. Really nice flavors, Vaishali. Thank you.
Alexandra Colacito
I've made this twice now and really like it, but with some changes. Firstly, I think you need to read and edit your recipe because some parts are unclear. Why reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water? Where does that come in? Also, you don't explain if the pasta should be mixed together with all the other ingredients or put in the casserole dish first. Finally, "3 tomatoes" is very vague because they can be all sizes! I used 1 28 oz can and 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, liquid drained. I put the pasta on the bottom of the dish, then the cauliflower mixture, then poured the sauce on top. I used 1.5X the amount of bread crumb topping. I cooked it at 400F for 30 minutes, then uncovered and cooked for another 30 minutes; otherwise the cauliflower doesn't get soft. OTHERWISE, yum yum yum!!!!
Vaishali
Hi Alexandra, I am so happy you loved the pasta bake. I've clarified when to add the 1/2 cup pasta water. Step 6 is when you pour the pasta in the baking dish after mixing with the rest of the ingredients. Three large tomatoes should equal about 1 1/2 cups.
Cassie
This recipe is Hmmmmm Good! This is a really great casserole dish for the wintertime. I split all the amounts in half, and it fit perfectly in an 8.5 x 8.5 Pyrex casserole dish. I baked it for 60 minutes instead of the 35 minutes the recipe calls for because I like my cauliflower fully cooked. There's a lot to do but it is easy. There is a note at the end that suggests parts of the recipe you can make ahead and then put it all together the next day.
Vaishali
So happy you loved it, Cassie!
Judy
This dish looks wonderful, and I have all the ingredients on hand--except for the fresh cauliflower. All I have is frozen. If I substitute that, should I make other changes?
Vaishali
Frozen cauliflower should work fine. Use it straight from the freezer, don't thaw first.