These vegan manicotti are stuffed with a creamy mix of dairy-free ricotta and hearty kale, then smothered in silky blush sauce and baked to bubbly perfection!
Cooking for company can be hard! And I don't even really mean the cooking part — I mean figuring out what to make that will please everyone. That goes double when you're feeding a crowd including non-vegans, where dishes that put tofu front and center might not fly. So I'm putting together a list of go-to recipes that I think everyone will love. Folks, this vegan manicotti is number one on that list.
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Wait, isn't vegan manicotti weird? Too weird, maybe, to feed your omnivorous guests who've never tried vegan food? There's tofu in there! The sauce has coconut milk! And why kale?
Chill — it'll be fine! Vegan ricotta is one of those magic ingredients that's made from tofu but tastes absolutely nothing like tofu. Whether it's in vegan lasagna, vegan stuffed shells, or a simple vegan ricotta pasta, you'd never, ever, ever guess that it's vegan. The ricotta and pink sauce are so rich and creamy that just about anyone would love them, and I promise, the kale makes it even better (but it can be omitted for kale haters).
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Kale. The recipe calls for super common, basic curly kale. Simple! If you've got another variety like Lacinato or red kale on hand, go ahead and use it — it'll be delicious!
- Dried manicotti.
- Olive oil.
- Shallots. Red onion is a good substitute, and yellow onion will do in a pinch.
- Garlic.
- White wine. Go with a dry variety like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. And make sure to run your brand through Barnivore to ensure it's vegan (many are not!).
- Crushed and diced tomatoes. The canned kind!
- Coconut milk. Make sure you're using full-fat coconut milk from a can, and not the type sold in cartons for drinking.
- Sugar. Use organic sugar, since conventional white sugar is often bleached with animal bone char.
- Red pepper flakes. Just a tiny bit for some zing! Feel free to skip them if you're concerned about the heat.
- Salt.
- Raw cashews. Make sure they are raw (not roasted) for the perfect creamy texture and flavor.
- Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed juice will give you the best flavor.
- Tofu. Use firm or extra-firm to give your ricotta the ideal texture.
- Basil.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Blanch the kale and boil the pasta. Start heating up a big pot of salted water. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the kale. When the water boils, blanch the kale for a couple of minutes, just until it wilts, then remove it from the pot and plate it. Next, boil the pasta according to the package directions, just to al dente.
Cook the shallots and garlic. Heat your olive oil in a large pot, then add chopped shallots. Cook the shallot for about 5 minutes to start softening it up, then add minced garlic and cook the mixture for 1 minute more.
Reduce the wine. Add your white wine, bring it to a simmer, and let it reduce for 3 or 4 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Simmer the sauce. Stir in your crushed and diced tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, to thicken it up a bit.
Make the ricotta. First, blend your soaked raw cashews, water, lemon juice, garlic and salt, until smooth. Next, add the tofu, blanched kale, and basil. Just pulse the machine, leaving the mixture a bit chunky.
Assemble and bake. Ladle some sauce into a large baking dish (or a couple of smaller ones). Pipe the filling into your manicotti tubes, then arrange them in the dish(es). Ladle more sauce on top, cover, and pop it into the oven until everything is hot and the sauce is bubbly!
Serve. Let the manicotti sit for a few minutes, then dish it up and dig in! I like to top mine with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese, but that's totally optional.
Variations
- Take a shortcut. Maybe you've noticed that this recipe is a bit of a project? I love it the way it is and recommend going all out if you have the time, but I understand if you don't. You can speed things along by making the sauce and/or filling in advance, using your favorite jarred sauce in place of the blush sauce in the recipe, or even skipping the kale part of the filling.
- Swap the greens. Replace the kale with chard, spinach, or another hearty green, keeping in mind that they may need less blanching time. For an easy swap, just use a 10-ounce package of frozen spinach. Thaw it, squeeze out the excess water, and add it to the ricotta (no blanching).
- Sauce alternatives. Not into blush? Use your favorite pasta sauce, or try my marinara, truffle marinara, or vegan vodka sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! The pasta tubes are the only gluten-containing ingredient, so just use a vegan gluten-free brand, such as Jovial.
I can't taste the coconut at all, but if you're particularly sensitive to the flavor, try using a vegan heavy cream alternative instead.
Start by making sure the sides are not clinging together when they finish boiling — pulling them apart when they're stuck tends to create tears. Some tears will be inevitable, though. If you see a tear forming during filling, start filling it from the other side to avoid making the tear larger. And it never hurts to cook a few extra tubes as insurance.
Keep it in the original baking dish, covered tightly with plastic, or transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Manicotti with Blush Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces curly kale leaves (about 1 small bunch)
- 8 ounces dried manicotti pasta (about 14-16 tubes)
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅔ cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 shallots)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce/397 gram) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
For the Ricotta
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, rinsed, and drained
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 (14 ounce/397 gram) package firm or extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats up, remove the stems from the kale leaves. Once boiling, add the kale and blanch it for about 2 minutes, until fully wilted. Remove the kale from the pot using a pair of tongs, then transfer it to a plate. Set aside for now.
- Bring the water back to a boil, then add the manicotti. While the manicotti boil, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Boil the manicotti according to the package directions, until al dente, then drain them into a colander. Let the manicotti cool briefly, then arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, gently separating any openings that have stuck together.
To Make the Sauce
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the shallots. Cook the shallots for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and continue to cook the mixture for about a minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
- Stir in the wine and bring it to a simmer. Allow it to continue simmering for 3 to 4 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for about 15 minutes, until it thickens up a bit.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and season with additional salt, if desired.
To Make the Filling
- While the sauce simmers, place the cashews, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend until smooth.
- Gently blot the kale dry if it is still wet, then add it to the machine. Break the tofu block into a few chunks and add it as well, then add the basil. Pulse the machine until the mixture has a slightly chunky texture, like ricotta cheese, and the kale and basil are very finely chopped.
To Assemble and Bake the Manicotti
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Ladle about half of the sauce into one large or two medium-sized baking dishes (Note 1).
- Use a pastry bag or zippy bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the ricotta mixture into the tubes. Arrange the tubes in the baking dish(es) as you fill them, placing them in a single layer. Ladle the remaining sauce over the tubes.
- Cover the dish(es) and bake for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove the manicotti from the oven and allow the manicotti to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Divide onto plates and serve.
Notes
- I used one 9 x 13-inch baking dish and one 8 x 8-inch baking dish to hold all of the manicotti. You may also be able to fit everything into a large lasagna pan. Don't worry too much about the exact sizes — just make sure the tubes fit in a single layer without too much extra space.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
Very nice tasting
This sounds amazing! I am allergic to tree nuts tho, anything I can substitute the cashews with?
Thank you! Try just doubling the tofu! Enjoy!
i am so excited to try this! it looks delicious!
I am wondering if you would also be able to just make this sauce and keep it in the refrigerator to use on pasta. what do you think?
I think that would work just fine, and it should be delicious on pasta. Enjoy!!
Fantastic!!!! I cheated a bit with the sauce and used a jar marinara but added a bit of wine and the can of coconut milk to it. Who knew how brilliant coconut milk and tomato sauce We used Jovial gf manicotti and slightly undercooked them so they held together well when filling them. The "ricotta" filling was wonderful! Everyone loved it-- vegans and non-vegans. We served it with a big green salad. Would be a great dish for company. And didn't take quite as long as I thought. Thank you!
Yay!! I'm so glad it was a hit! Coconut milk in tomato sauce was such a revelation to me - now it's one of my favorite things!
Can I make the ricotta without using tofu and use more cashews, etc? Since it messes with hormones, I can't have it. :( Thank you!
Absolutely! I'd say double the cashews for that. You might also be able to get steamed cauliflower or white beans to work as a substitute. Enjoy!!
What can I substitute for coconut milk to cut calories from fat?
You could try another type of non-dairy milk such as soy or almond - just make sure it's unflavored and unsweetened!
Made this last night and it was awesome! We couldn't find Manicotti pasta so had to use Paccheri instead but it worked well. Thanks!
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Jon!
We made this tonight and didn't taste the kale at all! But I don't see why you couldn't use spinach
You could absolutely use spinach, or even chard it you like! :)
My husband hates kale - can i substitute it with spinach?
Absolutely! I think if you use baby spinach you could even skip the skip of sauteeing it. :)
What can I substitute for the white wine?
I would just leave it out if it doesn't work with your diet. :)