Easy Homemade Vegan Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli Recipe
Jul 16, 2020 • Updated Jan 08, 2024
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Delicious Vegan Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli that you MUST try! High in protein, easy to make, and packed with flavor! Tender zucchini slices folded into vegan ravioli shapes and stuffed with plant-based ricotta, then baked in marinara sauce. The best!
What Makes This Recipe Great
First of all, this delicious “pasta” is an absolute must-try– a Homemade Vegan Ravioli recipe made with zucchini and ricotta! This dish involves light zucchini ribbons folded into ravioli shapes and stuffed with a high protein vegan ricotta, then baked in a flavourful marinara sauce and topped with a nutty, brazil nut parmesan. While there are 3 components involved in this recipe, the ingredients used are simple, and the process is quick and easy.
To make, you create your zucchini ribbons, blend up your ricotta mix, and food process your Brazil nut parmesan. Most of the leg work (or should I say arm work?) is in the folding of the ravioli. The concept of zucchini ravioli came from my chef friend Alyssa Gagarin, and it’s absolutely beautiful, don’t you think? It’s a beautiful dish that makes for a great option to bring to a party and impress friends or serve when entertaining. Aside from its looks, it’s also a really balanced dish with a surprising amount of plant protein and, of course, the veggies involved.
Also, in my personal opinion, it’s a great meal to enjoy when you’re in the mood for something light but still satiating and hearty. Oftentimes, zucchini noodle dishes leave me hungry quickly after, but thanks to the vegan ricotta, this makes a great lunch in my book. Feel free to throw actual pasta into the sauce if you’d like, along with additional veggies to bake, or leave it as is.
These pretty little raviolis are made with simple, plant-based ingredients and are vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and oil free. It’s easy to make this recipe nut-free as well!
How to Make Vegan Ravioli
You’ll notice we’re making this recipe with no vegan pasta dough! That’s because our ravioli is actually made with zucchini! That’s right– no flour, no dairy– just a delicious, plant-forward, high-protein meal!
Ingredient Notes
Here are our main ingredients to make your own vegan ravioli. For the complete list of ingredients and amounts, please see the printable recipe card below.
- Zucchini
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite sauce from the grocery store or make a simple tomato sauce. You can also use vegan pesto if desired, though I think the red sauce is what brings this dish together!
- Tofu ricotta: I adapted this homemade tofu ricotta from From My Bowl & Sweet Simple Vegan. Made with organic tofu, fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and garlic. This will be our vegan ravioli filling. Feel free to make dairy-free spinach ricotta by adding spinach to the recipe.
- Brazil nut “parmesan”: Made from Brazil nuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Use regular vegan parmesan or other vegan cheese for a nut-free option.
- Fresh basil
- A little salt and black pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425F while you prepare your ingredients. At this point, you may also remove excess water from your firm tofu using a tofu press or wrapping it in a paper towel and pressing it with a heavy object (like another pan).
- Using a peeler, make long zucchini ribbons with your zucchini. Set strips aside (on a paper towel if you find them to be too wet).
- Next, prepare your Brazil nut parm. In a food processor or blender, pulse all ingredients to form an even crumb. Be careful not to blend too much. Otherwise, the ingredients will turn into a butter consistency. Set aside.
- Now prepare tofu ricotta by adding all ingredients to a blender or food processor, excluding tofu. Give the mixture a rough pulse just to help the garlic break down slightly before adding tofu. Pulse again until evenly combined, and a ricotta-like texture forms. It should be slightly chunky, not all the way smooth.
- Next, take a safe oven baking dish and pour in marinara sauce, spreading it to cover the surface if necessary.
- Finally, we’re ready to fold our vegan ravioli. Take 2 zucchini ribbons and overlap them slightly lengthwise. Take another 2 zucchini ribbons and repeat. Create an X shape and dollop 1-2 tbsp of your ricotta mixture where the ribbons meet. Fold your bottom zucchini ribbons over, like you’re wrapping a present, then fold the other 2 ribbons. Place ravioli seam side down into the marinara. Continue until ricotta or zucchini are used up.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of Brazil nut parmesan on top of ravioli and sauce, then bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Tops of zucchini should be lightly golden, zucchini should be gently cooked, and marinara should be bubbling.
- Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy.
Secrets to Success
- To make this recipe nut-free, you can use sunflower seeds or hemp seeds in place of Brazil nuts to make your parmesan. Also, it may be more cost-effective to use almonds or cashews in place of Brazil nuts. I simply used Brazil nuts because it’s what I happened to have on hand (and I’ve been working on getting in my selenium). Or you can use nut-free, store-bought vegan parmesan.
- Feel free to add additional veggies into your marinara sauce– Onion, additional spices, and whatever else you enjoy!
- Because our “homemade pasta dough” is actually made with zucchini, this recipe is entirely gluten-free and requires no all-purpose flour or semolina flour. No pasta machine or special equipment. However, if you want to make this dish heartier, feel free to boil your favorite pasta to al dente, then stir the cooked pasta into the baking dish with the sauce and the zucchini ravioli.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container or the baking dish used with a secure lid or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The “vegan ravioli dough” actually holds its shape quite well, and you can re-bake your dish to enjoy leftovers the next day.
Reheat in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 350F until warmed through. Or microwave the cooked ravioli for 2-3 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Zucchini! With this recipe, no fresh pasta dough is needed! The zucchini is hearty and holds the shape and the filling super well!
Yes! Boil a large pot of water over medium heat, then add your desired types of pasta and a little sea salt to the boiling water and cook to al dente. Once cooked, drain and add to the baking dish with the sauce and the zucchini.
More Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes
Creamy Vegan Lemon Pepper Pasta
If you try this Easy Vegan Ravioli recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.
Easy Homemade Vegan Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchini
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- fresh basil to garnish
- tofu ricotta adapted from From My Bowl & Sweet Simple Vegan
- 15 oz firm tofu excess water removed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper more to taste
Brazil Nut Parmesan
- 1/2 cup brazil nuts lightly dry toasted on a pan for a few minutes (or sub roasted cashew, almond, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425F while you prepare your ingredients. At this point you may also remove excess water from your firm tofu using a tofu press, or wrapping in paper towel and pressing with a heavy object (like another pan).
- Using a peeler, make long zucchini ribbons with your zucchini. Set strips aside (on a paper towel if you find them to be too wet)
- Next, prepare your brazil nut parm. In a food processor or blender, pulse all ingredients to form an even crumb. Careful not to blend too much, otherwise ingredients will turn into a butter. Set aside.
- Now prepare tofu ricotta by adding all ingredients to a blender or food processor, excluding tofu. Give the mixture a rough pulse, just to help garlic break down slightly before adding tofu. Pulse again until evenly combined, and a ricotta-like texture forms. Should be slightly chunky, not all the way smooth.
- Next, take an oven safe baking dish and pour in marinara sauce, spreading to cover the surface if necessary.
- Finally, we're ready to fold our vegan ravioli. Take 2 zucchini ribbons and overlap them slightly, lengthwise. Take another 2 zucchini ribbons and repeat. Create an X shape, and dollop 1-2 tbsp of your ricotta mixture where the ribbons meet. Fold your bottom zucchini ribbons over, like you're wrapping a present, then fold the other 2 ribbons. Place ravioli seam side down into the marinara. Continue until ricotta or zucchini are used up.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of brazil parmesan on top of ravioli and sauce, then bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Tops of zucchini should be lightly golden, zucchini should be gently cooked and marinara should be bubbling. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- To make this recipe nut-free, you can use sunflower seeds or hemp seeds in place of Brazil nuts to make your parmesan. Also, it may be more cost-effective to use almonds or cashews in place of Brazil nuts. I simply used Brazil nuts because it’s what I happened to have on hand (and I’ve been working on getting in my selenium). Or you can use nut-free, store-bought vegan parmesan.
- Feel free to add additional veggies into your marinara sauce– Onion, additional spices, and whatever else you enjoy!
- Because our “homemade pasta dough” is actually made with zucchini, this recipe is entirely gluten-free and requires no all-purpose flour or semolina flour. No pasta machine or special equipment. However, if you want to make this dish heartier, feel free to boil your favorite pasta to al dente, then stir the cooked pasta into the baking dish with the sauce and the zucchini ravioli.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container or the baking dish used with a secure lid or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The “vegan ravioli dough” actually holds its shape quite well, and you can re-bake your dish to enjoy leftovers the next day. Reheat in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 350F until warmed through. Or microwave the cooked ravioli for 2-3 minutes.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post may contain affiliate links.
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