This heavenly vegan dish is a cross between lasagna and baked ziti… Minus the pasta, cheese and marinara. Instead, you’ll be learning how to roast spaghetti squash and the art of making vegan cheese; in this case, it’s tofu “ricotta.” Using dairy free pesto puts a fresh twist on tradition making this vegan pesto spaghetti squash bake innovative without sacrificing flavor.
Baked Vegan Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Prep Time:1 hour
- Cook Time:30 minutes
- Total Time:1 hour 30 minutes
- Servings:9
- Medium
- 2 spaghetti squash
- 1/2 cup vegan pesto
- 1 block pressed firm tofu
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Ingredients
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Brush the insides with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
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Step 2
Line a baking tray and place squash with the flesh facing down. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and roast for 45 minutes.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 3
While the squash are roasting, make the “ricotta.” Place tofu, nutritional yeast, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon pesto, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into a blender or food processor.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 4
Pulse until consistency resembles conventional ricotta cheese.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 5
When the squash comes out of the oven, begin loosening flesh with a fork in a scraping motion.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 6
Using a baking dish, begin layering. Start with the flesh of one of the squash halves. Dollop tofu “ricotta” and pesto, then move onto another layer of squash.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 7
Continue this process until all the squash is used. I always have some tofu ricotta leftover, it gets repurposed into dishes later in the week.
Photo by Kristine Mahan -
Step 8
Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil.
Photo by Kristine Mahan