Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti
This Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti is incredibly flavorful and tastes like a guilty pleasure — except with this, the more you eat, the healthier you are!
Servings: 5 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz Manicotti Pasta
Manicotti Filling
- ½ of a yellow onion finely chopped
- 5 cups mushrooms finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz package extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1½ tsp salt
- 5 cups spinach finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Melty Cashew Cheese
- ¾ cup raw cashews soaked
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 tsp miso
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup water
Manicotti Toppings
- 1 jar pasta sauce
- Sprinkle of Finely chopped basil chives, or green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Place cashews in a bowl and pour boiling water over them and soak while preparing everything else.
- In a medium-sized skillet, sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil on medium heat until soft and moisture is cooked out, about 10-12 mins. When finished, set pan aside.
- Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook manicotti according to package directions until al dente. Don't overcook!! When al dente, strain manicotti and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- Meanwhile, drain tofu and use a clean kitchen towel to pat excess moisture. Use your fingers to crumble tofu into a large bowl. Add in nutritional yeast, salt, finely chopped spinach, lemon juice, and pepper. When mushrooms and onions have finished cooking, add them into the bowl. Mix this together thoroughly.
- Stuff the pasta with the manicotti filling, however it's easiest for you. I hold the pasta upright and use my pinky to prevent filling from falling out while I spoon it into the top. Place the stuffed pasta in a large casserole dish (or two smaller ones). If you have leftover filling, spoon that in front of and behind the pasta.
- Pour the pasta sauce on top of the manicotti. Cover the casserole dish a lid (or foil if you don't have a lid) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid (or foil) and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- While manicotti bakes, make the melted cashew cheese. Strain water from cashews and add to a high speed blender along with everything else in the "Melty Cashew Cheese" section. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- When manicotti finishes cooking, drizzle the cashew cheese on top of the marinara. Serve immediately, garnishing with optional chopped basil, chives, or green onions. Enjoy!