Rachel Ray Inspired Sausage Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ziti or other shaped pasta Feel free to use a higher protein pasta or GF pasta as well!
- 1 lb Italian sausage (optional)
- 1 cup Miyokos Creamery Cashew Milk Mozzarella Cheese Ball Shredded/torn
- ½ cup Goat cheddar cheese Shredded (could also use VioLife's Just like Parmesan cheese here)
- ½ cup Manchego cheese Shredded (optional)
Pasta Sauce & Veggies:
- 28 oz Whole peeled tomatoes (one can)
- 14 oz Crushed tomatoes (one can)
- 3 Cloves of garlic Finely chopped
- 1 Bell pepper Finely chopped
- 1 Vidalia onion Finely chopped
- ½ package Fresh spinach Shredded/torn
- ½ cup Fresh basil leaves Shredded/torn
- 6 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil (3 times around the pan, x2)
- 1 tsp Salt To taste
- 1 tsp Black pepper To taste
Bechamel Sauce:
- 2 cup Unsweetened almond milk Could also use oat or soy milk!
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour Could also substitute with cornstarch or a GF alternative if you'd like.
- 2 tbsp Non-dairy butter We love the Country Crock plant butter or Monty's cultured cashew butter logs!
- 2 ½ tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp Cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
Instructions
- Start by washing and chopping up all veggies mentioned above, setting aside for use later.
Make Tomato Sauce & Filling:
- Chop sausage into ½" to 1" rounds and cook in a large saucepan over medium heat with olive oil, flipping with tongs after 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Add olive oil, garlic, and onions to the pan and saute for 3 to 5 minutes until they become aromatic. Add the peppers and sauté with onions and garlic until softened.
- Chop the whole tomatoes (in a food processor if needed) and add them to the pan along with crushed tomatoes and salt, simmering 10 minutes.
- Add spinach and basil, and simmer over low heat for 10 more minutes.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once boiling, add salt and pasta, cooking for 7-8 minutes, leaving pasta a little al dente.
- Drain pasta and toss with olive oil or butter in a large, oven safe dish.
Make Bechamel Sauce:
- While the pasta cooks, make the bechamel sauce. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and melt.
- Whisk in flour (or cornstarch), stirring constantly, then season with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and nutmeg (to taste).
- Stir in milk of choice and bring sauce to a bubble. Cook 5 minutes to thicken slightly.**
Assemble the Dish:
- Set oven to broil (500℉) to warm up.
- Toss pasta with the homemade tomato sauce, and top casserole with bechamel and three cheeses (Mozzarella, Goat cheddar, and Manchego). Bake 3-5 mins until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Notes
- I added sausages to mine, which is completely optional if you want this to be vegetarian.
- Dip a spoon into the sauce to know when the bechamel sauce is done. When you can run a finger across the back of the spoon and it stays looking like a strong, clean line (a.k.a. no drips through the center of the mark you made), it has thickened properly. If it’s still drippy, cook the sauce for another 2-3 minutes.