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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    Published: Nov 15, 2020 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    casserole dish of Pumpkin Baked Ziti with text overlay
    Pumpkin Baked Ziti with text overlay
    two plates of Pumpkin Baked Ziti with text overlay
    plate of Pumpkin Baked Ziti with text overlay

    Pumpkin Baked Ziti is a fun twist on traditional tomato-based baked ziti, and it's the perfect comfort food meal for dinner on chilly autumn evenings. This easy to make meatless recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.

    two plates of Pumpkin Baked Ziti with text overlay

    Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    Ah, November. It's the month when we need to pull our heavy coats out of storage, the time of year we when turn to warming comfort food to get us through dark and chilly evenings, and it's the month we here in the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving can be a tough holiday for those who don't partake in meat, but with some careful planning, it is possible to get through the day relatively unscathed.

    plate of Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    Even though pasta isn't traditionally thought of as a Thanksgiving dish, it's been showing up on the table more and more throughout recent years. I have friends who always include mac and cheese in their feasts, and sometimes lasagna makes an appearance at my annual holiday potlucks.

    The pumpkin and pecans in this pumpkin baked ziti recipe give it a fall feel, which is perfect for Thanksgiving, and the tofu ricotta tastes close enough to the "real" thing that even omnivores will enjoy it. It's also great for Christmas dinner, but you don't have to wait until the holidays to enjoy it.

    pasta, pecans, breadcrumbs, pumpkin, garlic, nooch, tofu, lemon, sage

    How to Make Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    This recipe is super easy to make!

    • First you cook the pasta until it's al dente, or almost done.
    • While the pasta is cooking, make the ricotta by pulsing all of the ingredients together in a food processor.
    • When they're done, you mix together the cooked pasta, pumpkin and ricotta in a large bowl.
    • Next, you transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Top the mixture with the breadcrumbs and pecans.
    • You cover the dish with foil and bake it for half an hour. Then remove the foil and bake it for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
    collage of making ziti

    Troubleshooting Tips

    • Al dente means "to the tooth" so you want your pasta to still have a little bite to it. If it's overcooked, it will get mushy in the oven.
    • When buying pumpkin puree, make sure don't purchase pumpkin pie filling, which has sweet spices in the mix.
    spooning pasta out of casserole dish

    How to Customize your Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    • If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your pasta is gluten-free.
    • You can use any type of bite-sized pasta. I actually like to make it with penne, not ziti, but you can also use shells, elbow macaroni, or fusilli.
    • If pumpkin puree is available, you can use butternut squash puree instead.
    • You can add some greens, such as kale or broccoli, to the pasta water just before it's done cooking to give your dish a little nutritional boost.
    • If you don't feel like making tofu ricotta, you can use store-bought ricotta. I like Kite Hill's, which is almond based.
    plate of Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    A big bowl full of this Pumpkin Baked Ziti will keep you warm and cozy on chilly fall evenings. Pair with Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts for the ultimate autumn meal. This recipe is adapted from a cheese-filled dish I found on TheKitchn.com many years ago.

    two plates of baked ziti with casserole dish
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    caserole dish of ziti, square

    Pumpkin Baked Ziti

    Dianne
    Pumpkin Baked Ziti is a fun twist on traditional tomato-based baked ziti, and it's the perfect comfort meal for dinner on chilly autumn evenings.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 356 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Tofu Ricotta

    • 14-ounce container firm tofu drained and pressed
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ½ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ½ cup loosely packed fresh sage

    Casserole

    • 12 ounces whole grain ziti or penne pasta
    • 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup bread crumbs
    • ¼ cup pecans chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375°.
    • Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until it's al dente, or has a firm bite, about 3 minutes less than the package calls for.
    • To make the ricotta, crumble the tofu into a food processer fitted with an s-blade. Add the lemon juice, garlic, and nutritional yeast and blend until the mixture is thick and looks like ricotta cheese. Add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Add the sage and pulse until it’s mixed in. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, gently mix together the cooked pasta, tofu ricotta, pumpkin, garlic, sea salt and black pepper.
    • Spread the mixture evenly in a 9×12” casserole dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and pecans.
    • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
    Calories: 356kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    casserole dish with baked pasta

    More pumpkin recipes you might enjoy include:

    • Pumpkin Chili
    • Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup
    • Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
    • Pumpkin Curry
    pumpkin curry with large pumpkin

    More pasta recipes you might enjoy include:

    • Pumpkin Pasta Carbonara
    • Pasta Primavera
    • Mac and Peas with Butternut Squash Sauce
    • Butternut Squash Casserole 
    bowl of pasta with casserole in the background
    « Vegan Creamed Kale
    Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deborah Davis

      October 23, 2014 at 12:06 am

      Hi,
      I just hopped by from Virtual Vegan Linky to see your Pumpkin Baked Ziti recipe.
      This lovely blend of ingredients will definitely tantalize my tastebuds. I’m pinning and sharing this! All the best, Deborah

    2. Dianne

      October 23, 2014 at 11:54 am

      Thank you, Deborah!

    3. Karen DiCarlo

      November 15, 2023 at 4:01 am

      Hi Dianne!

      I'm thinking of making the Pumpkin Baked Ziti recipe for this Thanksgiving. Do you think using Cavatappi made from Chickpeas and Panko Bread Crumbs would work ok? It sounds delicious either way! Thanks for your post!

      KD

    4. Dianne

      November 19, 2023 at 5:13 pm

      Hi, Karen! Yes, I think that would work okay.

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    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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