Vegan Butternut Squash and Kale Baked Ziti

Roasted butternut squash, tender kale, and egg-free ziti bake in a lemony cashew sauce under a crisp sage-panko lid.

70 min

6 servings

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water

3 garlic cloves, divided

2 1/2 cups unsweetened oat milk

1 lemon

5 oz lacinato kale, stems removed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

9-by-13-inch baking dish · Rimmed sheet pan · High-speed blender · Large pot · Colander

Silky cashew sauce

Soak the cashews in hot water and blend until a rubbed drop feels completely smooth, scraping the blender as needed.

Keep it succulent

The pasta should look a little too saucy before it enters the oven; that extra liquid is what keeps the finished casserole creamy.

01. Heat the oven to 425 F and lightly oil the baking dish.

02. Roast squash with oil and salt for 25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender.

03. Cook egg-free ziti 2 minutes shy of the package time and reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

04. Blend soaked cashews, garlic, oat milk, lemon, salt, and 1/2 cup pasta water until no grit remains.

05. Cook kale with garlic and salt for 2 minutes, keeping it bright green and barely tender.

06. Fold in ziti, squash, and sauce; loosen with reserved pasta water so liquid still lightly pools in the pot.

07. Fill the dish and distribute sage panko over the top before drizzling with oil.

08. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden, then rest 5 minutes before serving.