Mushroom Ziti Bake

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2 min read
Summary

This creamy and comforting Mushroom Ziti Bake might just become a household fave with its heavenly aroma, satisfying flavor and nutritional value. It’s the perfect dish to make for a large family gathering or one you can portion away to enjoy as leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week.

Yields4 Servings

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce
 1 cup onion (chopped)
 5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
 2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
 ¼ cup vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 28 oz organic plum tomatoes (BPA-free canned)
 15 oz organic crushed tomatoes (BPA-free canned)
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 tsp fresh basil (chopped)
 ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 2 cups organic spinach (chopped)
Cashew Cheese
 1 cup cashews (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes or room temperature water for 4–6 hours)
 ¼ cup nutritional yeast
 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 1 tsp garlic powder
 ½ tsp salt (optional)
 ½ cup water
Pasta
 1 lb organic whole-grain ziti (cooked, or other whole grain or legume pasta of choice)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2

Add the plum tomatoes to a medium bowl. With clean hands, crush them into smaller pieces and set aside. You’ll combine these with the crushed tomatoes in step 5.

3

Make the sauce: Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions, stir continuously and cook until translucent, about 2–3 minutes.

4

Add the mushrooms and garlic and stir. Add the veggie broth to deglaze the pan. Stir and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes.

5

Add both the plum tomatoes you crushed with your hands and the 15 ounce canned crushed tomatoes.

6

Stir in the oregano, basil, parsley, and salt, if using. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.

7

Meanwhile, make the cheese: Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

8

Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the spinach until tender.

9

Add half of the cheese to the sauce and stir well.

10

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, stir well then transfer to a 9x13” baking dish.

11

Dollop the remaining cheese on top of the ziti.

12

Bake for 30 minutes.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
For the onion, use yellow or white. Or, use shallots in place of onion.

For the mushrooms, use cremini, white button, portobello or other mushroom of choice.

Instead of spinach, use another leafy green of choice.

Nut-free
Substitute raw sunflower seeds in place of cashews.

Prep Ahead
Make the cashew cheese ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 30.

Make the tomato sauce ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 30.

Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce
 1 cup onion (chopped)
 5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
 2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
 ¼ cup vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 28 oz organic plum tomatoes (BPA-free canned)
 15 oz organic crushed tomatoes (BPA-free canned)
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 tsp fresh basil (chopped)
 ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 2 cups organic spinach (chopped)
Cashew Cheese
 1 cup cashews (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes or room temperature water for 4–6 hours)
 ¼ cup nutritional yeast
 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 1 tsp garlic powder
 ½ tsp salt (optional)
 ½ cup water
Pasta
 1 lb organic whole-grain ziti (cooked, or other whole grain or legume pasta of choice)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2

Add the plum tomatoes to a medium bowl. With clean hands, crush them into smaller pieces and set aside. You’ll combine these with the crushed tomatoes in step 5.

3

Make the sauce: Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions, stir continuously and cook until translucent, about 2–3 minutes.

4

Add the mushrooms and garlic and stir. Add the veggie broth to deglaze the pan. Stir and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes.

5

Add both the plum tomatoes you crushed with your hands and the 15 ounce canned crushed tomatoes.

6

Stir in the oregano, basil, parsley, and salt, if using. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.

7

Meanwhile, make the cheese: Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

8

Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the spinach until tender.

9

Add half of the cheese to the sauce and stir well.

10

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, stir well then transfer to a 9x13” baking dish.

11

Dollop the remaining cheese on top of the ziti.

12

Bake for 30 minutes.

Mushroom Ziti Bake