This vegan pepperoni pasta casserole serves up all of your favorite pizza flavors without the hassle of pizza dough! With seitan pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, marinara, and melty cheese, it's comforting and easily customized.
1tablespoonolive oil - omit if using store-bought pepperoni
12ouncesdry pasta such as rotini or ziti
1(25 oz) jarmarinara sauce
1smallonion, chopped
6 ouncesbutton mushrooms, sliced
1bell pepper, any color, chopped
½teaspoondried oregano
½teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
approx. ⅓cupsliced black olives
2cupsshredded vegan mozzarella - about 6 ounces
salt and pepper
½cupboiling water
Instructions
If using homemade seitan pepperoni, slice it thinly, place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly oil a 13x9 casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package. Drain in a colander. While the pasta is cooking, move on to step 4.
Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper for 5 to 7 minutes or until the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the oregano, garlic powder, pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute and remove from heat.
Return the pasta to the pot and combine with marinara, sauteed veggies, olives, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold in the pepperoni slices, reserving a handful to decorate the top of the dish if desired. Cook the pasta mixture over medium heat just until hot, about 2 minutes.
Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the prepared dish. Add a generous layer of shredded cheese, about 1 cup, followed by the rest of the pasta. Drizzle the boiling water into the dish (this helps the cheese melt).
Top with reserved pepperoni and remaining cheese, and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Notes
Please review the Substitutions and Variations sections above for ideas and answers to common questions about substitutions.PepperoniMy pepperoni recipe makes two logs of seitan pepperoni. You'll need 1 log, about 7 ounces, for this recipe. If using a store-bought pepperoni or other meat aim for about 4 or 5 servings of product. The pepperoni provides a lot of the flavor in this dish, so keep this in mind when substituting.StorageStore leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen for up to 1 month.