This creamy no-boil vegan pasta bake is an easy one-pan dinner made with zucchini, bell peppers, marinara, spinach, and dairy-free heavy cream. Perfect for busy weeknights!
If you've ever looked at a box of pasta and thought, I cannot deal with another pot of boiling water tonight, this recipe is for you.
Everything goes straight into one baking dish: dry pasta, marinara, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and seasonings. No boiling. No extra pots. Just cover it, bake it, and stir in a creamy homemade cashew cream and fresh spinach at the end.
The result is one of those cozy, comforting dinners that tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. It's creamy without any dairy, packed with vegetables, naturally gluten-free (if you use gluten-free pasta), and the kind of weeknight meal everyone happily goes back for seconds.
It's one of those recipes I make on repeat because it checks every box:
- one baking dish
- almost no prep
- lots of veggies
- incredibly creamy
- perfect for leftovers
If you're looking for an easy vegan pasta bake that doesn't require boiling noodles first, this is the recipe you'll come back to again and again.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
There are a lot of baked pasta recipes out there, but this one has become one of my favorites because it's so unbelievably simple.
Instead of cooking the pasta separately, everything bakes together in the sauce. The noodles absorb all of the flavor while the zucchini and bell peppers soften into the marinara. Right before serving, you'll stir in a generous scoop of homemade cashew cream and fresh spinach, creating an ultra-creamy sauce without any dairy.
It's a great recipe for:
- Busy weeknights
- Meal prep
- Feeding a family
- Using up summer zucchini, bell peppers and spinach
- Comfort food that still includes plenty of vegetables
The leftovers are honestly just as good, if not better, the next day.
Ingredients You'll Need
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it's made with simple pantry staples and fresh vegetables.
You'll need:
- Gluten-free short-cut pasta - Rotini and penne both work beautifully because they hold onto the creamy sauce.
- Marinara sauce - Use your favorite jarred sauce or make my homemade easy San Marzano Tomato Sauce.
- Water - Helps cook the pasta directly in the baking dish.
- Zucchini and Bell Peppers - Adds freshness and melts right into the sauce while baking.
- Shallot + garlic - Builds flavor with almost no extra effort.
- Homemade heavy cream - The secret ingredient that makes the sauce incredibly creamy without dairy.
- Baby spinach - Wilts perfectly into the hot pasta.
- Olive oil + seasonings - Garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning brings everything together.
- Fresh basil and vegan parm - Optional, but highly recommended for serving.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake
This recipe couldn't be easier.
Step 1
Preheat the oven and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 2
Add the dry pasta, marinara sauce, water, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, garlic and seasonings directly to the baking dish. Stir everything together.
Step 3
Cover tightly with a lid and bake until the pasta is tender and has absorbed the sauce.
Step 4
Remove from the oven and immediately stir in the vegan heavy cream and chopped fresh spinach. The residual heat wilts the spinach and creates the dreamiest creamy sauce.
Finish with chopped basil and vegan parm and serve warm.
Easy Ways to Make It Your Own
This recipe is incredibly forgiving.
Try adding:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Vegan mozzarella
- Nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor
You can even stir in my crispy lentils for extra plant-based protein.
Storage Tips
This pasta reheats beautifully.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Because the pasta continues absorbing liquid as it sits, add a splash of water or marinara before reheating to loosen the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really not need to boil the pasta?
Nope! That's the magic of this recipe.
The pasta cooks directly in the marinara sauce and water while it's covered in the oven.
Why is my pasta still firm?
Every pasta brand cooks a little differently.
If your noodles aren't quite tender after 45 minutes, simply stir in a splash of water, cover tightly again and bake another 5-10 minutes.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely.
Bake as directed, let cool, then refrigerate. Reheat with a splash of water or marinara until warmed through.
If this pasta bake makes it into your weeknight dinner rotation (I have a feeling it will!), leave a comment and rating below, and tag me @eatingbyelaine on Instagram. I absolutely love seeing your recreations!
Print No-Boil Veggie Pasta Bake (Vegan)
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This hands-off creamy vegan pasta bake requires no boiling of noodles and is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner! Simply combine fresh zucchini, bell peppers, gluten-free noodles and marinara sauce in a baking dish and pop it in the oven. Just before serving, mix in a generous portion of spinach and homemade dairy-free heavy cream and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta (short-cut variety such as penne or rotini)
- 28 ounces jarred marinara sauce
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 large shallot, diced (~ ¾ cup diced shallot) [or sub ½ small red onion, diced]
- 5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 teaspoons fine salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 batch homemade vegan heavy cream
- 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Garnish with fresh basil, vegan parm and top with crispy lentils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place dry pasta, marinara sauce, water, shallot, garlic, zucchini, bell pepper and spices in a 12.5-inch lidded non-stick pot and stir well to incorporate.
- Cover the baking dish with the lid and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and remove the lid. Stir in the vegan heavy cream and chopped spinach while still hot. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh basil and vegan parm. Add crispy lentils for protein.
- Store leftovers once fully cooled in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days.
Notes
Baking time may vary based on the type of noodle are you using. If your noodles are not cooked through, place the lid back on and bake for another 5-10 minutes. If it seems dry, add more marinara sauce or water before baking for additional time.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Riri says
Made this the other night! Taste wise it was fantastic! My family is vegetarian, not vegan so we've never tried the cashew cream before but the flavor and creaminess of the pasta was really good. I did add some smoked paprika and TJ's 21 seasoning salute to the spices. The baking time though was definitely finicky, put it in for an extra 10 mins and then another 5 but there were still some less cooked penne pieces in there. Just because timing experimenting can be hard, i might lightly pre-boil the pasta next time but flavor wise this dish was definitely well loved!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for making it and for the 5 stars, Riri! I’m so happy the flavor was a hit, and yay for your first cashew cream moment.
And thank you for the note about the penne. Do you remember which penne you used (brand and whether it was regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free) and what size/type of baking dish? Also, did you cover it with foil and was it tightly sealed?
So glad it was well loved overall, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share the details so I can help troubleshoot for next time! Best, Elaine
Riri says
it was barilla regular penne in a 13x9 glass pan. I'd like to believe it was tightly sealed but it was definitely harder to seal the additional times with the pasta being larger. Admittedly, I just remembered I had done the whole box aka 16 oz instead of 12. Although I did add an extra half cup of water to account for the extra pasta. Perhaps it needed more cooking time because of the added quantity?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Riri, Thank you for the extra details, that helps so much! Barilla regular penne in a 13x9 glass pan makes total sense, and the big clue is that you used the full 16 oz box. With baked/no-boil pasta, the exact pasta-to-liquid ratio and a tightly sealed cover matter a lot. With 16 oz (plus a glass dish that heats a bit more slowly), it would definitely need more time and typically more liquid than just an extra 1/2 cup, especially if the foil wasn’t perfectly sealed after opening it. If you try it again, I’d either stick with the 12 oz so it matches the recipe exactly, or if you want to use the full 16 oz, add more liquid and keep it tightly covered for longer (and try not to open it until the pasta is tender).
So glad it was a flavor win, and I really appreciate you sharing what you did!
Mari says
Does spiralizing the zucchini do anything important? I don’t have a spiralizer so I’m wondering if it would be okay to just chop the zucchini small? Or if there’s something else you’d recommend
Elaine Gordon says
yes you can totally chop it up or grate it even. The zucchini noodles just blend in more. But it is fine however you do it.
Phallon says
This is SO delicious! I added some peas at the based on another reviewers comments and it's perfect! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Phallon! That is wonderful! Thank you for the five star review. Best, Elaine
Gail says
Loved it! FYI, Pinterest would not let me pin it. Claimed it couldn’t fetch the picture.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you SO much for letting me know - I will look into this right away. Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Gail! 🙂
Andrea says
Wow! This was my first time making a vegan cream sauce, and it is to die for! I discovered that putting in some chopped frozen spinach (since I didn't have fresh) as the last step worked fine too. The heat and some stirring cooked the spinach enough so that it wasn't frozen anymore.
Will definitely make again! Thank you for sharing!
Elaine Gordon says
Wonderful idea to use frozen! Frozen always saves the day! So happy you loved the cream sauce. Thank you for letting me know! Best, Elaine
Caitlyn says
Can I leave out the zucchini??? I am dying to try this, but the husband and kids can’t eat zucchini.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Caitlyn: I'm sorry for the delay. I hope I'm not too late.
I'm sure you could leave it out but if you do maybe add a bit more water. The zucchini releases a good amount of liquid as it cooks so I would hate for you to leave it out and then have it be too dry. Please let me know how it goes for you! Best, Elaine
Christina says
This recipe was delicious and so easy to make! I added chopped carrots as well. And the addition of the cashew cream at the end was SO good! Definitely making it again!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Christina! Love your addition of the chopped carrots. I'm sure that was delicious! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one and plan to make it again. Thank you for the five star rating too! Best, Elaine
Sarah Brown says
Perfect recipe for Italian pasta craving
Elaine Gordon says
Thanks, Sarah! Thanks for the five star review!
Kiara Brown says
So so delicious. I saw you make this on your Instagram stories yesterday and I had to make it today. I used what I had on hand but man was it good. I used eggplant, baby Bella mushrooms, and a yellow bell pepper. I threw in fresh basil and frozen green peas once it was finished. I didn’t add the cashew cream sauce this time. But it was even delicious without it. I’m definitely making this again!!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Kiara! So happy to hear my IG stories inspired your take on it. It really is totally flexible and you can definitely sub any veggies you have on hand. I'll have to try frozen green peas next time... I love peas and always forget about them in the freezer! Definitely try it again with the cashew cream sauce - it takes it to another level for sure! Thank you again for the comment/rating. Best, Elaine
Rozzi says
Used this as a blueprint, as I had to make a bunch of changes mainly due to what ingredients I had in the pantry. But turned out delicious! And so super easy! Will definitely make again!
Elaine Gordon says
Fantastic! So happy to hear it worked out so well for you even with your own spin on it! It is a great base recipe for that kind of thing for sure! Best, Elaine
Rebecca says
This turned out amazing! Low effort and great tasting—what's not to love?
Elaine Gordon says
Aw yay! Thank you so much, Rebecca! So happy to hear you enjoyed the process and the result! 🙂
Jodi says
I've made this twice already because it's such a crowd pleaser and super easy! The first time around a few of the noodles remained hard. The second time I made it I gave the noodles a quick stir halfway through baking and it came out perfect. I also added !/2 cup extra water. So delicious!! Thank you for making cooking fun and easy!
Elaine Gordon says
Aw yay! Thank you so much for letting me know! So happy to hear you have been loving this easy recipe. Yes, different noodles might need different cooking times but the same process applies - glad you figured that out! Thanks again!
Penny says
Hi. Making this soon. Zucchini is added step 2? Thanks!
Elaine Gordon says
Yes add zucchini with step #2 - I hope it turns out great for you!
Jamie says
I am in awe of this recipe!! I added broccoli, and doubled the pasta/cashew cream (so I added a lil extra sauce & water). All I have to say is WOW. This is the creamiest dairy free pasta I’ve ever eaten and will definitely be making it anytime I’m craving something comforting!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Jamie! I really appreciate that! So happy to hear you enjoyed it so much and love your spin on it. More cream is always a good thing in my book!