Dairy-Free Baked Penne with Meatballs
Creamy, dairy-free, and prepared in one pan this baked penne with meatballs recipe makes the perfect addition to your busy weeknight routine. This hearty dairy-free pasta dish is a complete meal you will want to make again and again.
This dairy-free baked penne with meatballs comes from a Pinch of Yum recipe for No-Boil Baked Penne with Meatballs. I began making this baked penne after our son was born as a way to make quick dinners that were both filling and comforting.
In my quest to answer the question, can I make this dairy-free? I set out to adapt the original recipe with dairy-free ingredients.
One of the biggest changes I noticed while baking this baked penne dish with dairy-free milk and vegan butter was the need for a longer bake time. This allowed the pasta to cook completely and gave the sauce time to thicken and coat the noodles.
Why We Love Dairy-Free Baked Penne with Meatballs
This hearty baked penne is a regular in my weeknight dinner routine for a number of reasons.
- One pan dish. Everything is baked in the same pan making prep and clean up a breeze.
- All in one meal. This dairy-free baked penne ticks the boxes for a complete meal with protein, carbs, and veggies all loaded into one easy to make dish.
- Great make ahead dish. I love how easy this dish is to throw together and often will double the recipe and freeze a pan for later.
Dairy-Free Changes to Baked Penne
Three important ingredients keep this dish delicious and dairy-free.
- Plant-based butter. I like to use country crock’s plant based sticks but you can use any of your favorite vegan butter sticks.
- Non-dairy milk. I find unsweetened oat milk to be the prefect addition to this baked pasta.
- Check your meatballs. Not all meatballs are created equal and they often come with dairy. For this recipe I used Simple Truth Meatballs from Kroger. Some other dairy-free meatballs you might try include:
How to Make Dairy-Free Baked Penne with Meatballs
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Vegan Butter– I use country crock’s plant based butter sticks, but you can use your favorite vegan butter.
- Oat Milk– Unsweetened oat milk works best in this recipe. If you use a sweetened oat milk it will make the dish taste unusually sweet.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes– I like using Muir Glen’s Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes in this recipe.
- Garlic– Fresh garlic minced or grated on a microplane.
- Spices– A blend of salt, garlic, and oregano season this dish.
- Penne Pasta– 8 ounces, or half a box of penne pasta.
- Meatballs– Frozen, dairy-free meatballs.
- Spinach– Fresh spinach added at the end.
Step-by-Step Directions for Dairy-Free Baked Penne with Meatballs
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Melt vegan butter and pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Next add fire roasted tomatoes and oat milk to the dish. Stir together.
- Stir in seasoning: Add the garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Add pasta + meatballs: Next stir in penne pasta and frozen meatballs.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake 50 minutes.
- Add spinach: Remove from the oven and add fresh spinach, stir until evenly distributed.
- Bake: Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the spinach wilts.
- Cool + Serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.
Tips for Success
I have made this recipe well over a dozen times using a variety of ingredients and want to ensure you have the most success with this dish when you make it at home. Here are a few things to keep in mind while making baked penne.
Oat Milk. I have made this baked penned with oat milk, almond milk, and even vegetable broth. Oat milk is the thickest creamiest option of the three that I have enjoyed in this dish. I find that almond milk is too watery and doesn’t sauce up as well.
Salt. When it comes to salt a number of things will impact this dish from the vegan butter to the canned tomatoes their salt content varies. If you are weary about using 2 teaspoons, start with 1 and increase as you make this dish more often to find the level of salt that works for your home.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
For this dairy-free baked penne pasta dish I would recommend using:
- 9×13-inch Baking Dish– This one comes with a lid for easy storing after baking and cooling.
- Small Whisk– Great for mixing together the sauce and seasonings in the pan.
- Spatula– Used to fold in the penne and meatballs as well as the spinach after baking.
What to Serve with Baked Penne
This dairy-free baked penne with meatballs is a comfort food dinner you will want to dish out with a hearty bread or a crisp salad. Some of my favorite sides include:
- Vegan Garlic Bread
- Pesto Rolls with Garlic Butter
- Garlic Knots
- Skillet Garlic Focaccia
- Vegan Bruschetta
- Brussels Sprouts Salad
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Tips
This baked penne comes together in less than 10 minutes making it perfect for busy weeknights. If you want to prep it in advance, here are some tips for storing, freezing, and reheating this dairy-free baked penne with meatballs.
- Storing– Allow the baked penne to come to room temperature before placing in a refrigerator safe, air-tight container. Keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freezing– Bake completely and then cool completely before placing in a freezer safe, air-tight container. Keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reheating– From refrigerated I would suggest heating portions in the microwave until desired level of done.
- Reheating after Frozen– Remove from freezer and thaw in fridge overnight. The next day, cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Baked Pasta Recipes to Make Next
If you tried this dairy-free baked penne with meatballs recipe please let me know in the comments below!
You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!
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Dairy-Free Baked Penne with Meatballs
Creamy, hearty, and made in one pan, this dairy-free baked penne with meatballs packs in the flavor with a creamy tomato sauce coating penne pasta and juicy meatballs.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Vegan Butter
- 28 ounces Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 cups Unsweetened Oat Milk
- 3 cloves Garlic minced or grated on a microplane
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 8 ounces Penne Pasta
- 12-16 ounces Frozen Meatballs 16-20 frozen meatballs
- 2 cups Spinach fresh
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Melt ½ cup vegan butter and pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
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Next add 28 ounces fire roasted tomatoes and 2 cups unsweetened oat milk to the dish. Stir together.
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Add the 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons oregano, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix until evenly distributed.
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Next stir in 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta and 12-16 ounces frozen meatballs.
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Cover the pan with foil and bake 50 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and add 2 cups fresh spinach, stir until evenly distributed.
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Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the spinach wilts.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Pinch of Yum- No-Boil Baked Penne with Meatballs
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