May 31, 2023

Dairy-Free Red and White Baked Pasta

Name: Dairy-Free Red and White Baked Pasta
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces Spaghetti Noodles; 4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter; 2 Tablespoons Flour; 4 pods Garlic; 1 ½ cups Oat Milk; 1 teaspoon Salt; ½ teaspoon Pepper; 1 pound Ground Beef; 2 pods Garlic; 24 ounces Jarred Pasta Sauce; ½ cup Water; ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning

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Filling, flavorful, and simply delicious, this homemade recipe for red and white pasta is a dairy-free dream. Rich and creamy garlic cream sauce coats spaghetti noddles topped with a hearty red pasta sauce and bakes to perfection. Make this hearty pasta recipe for a delicious dinner everyone is sure to love.

A small black plate with a serving of red and white pasta with a gold fork and a slice of vegan garlic bread on the plate.

Creamy white garlic sauce coated spaghetti noddles are topped with a hearty ground beef marinara sauce and baked to a golden perfection for a filling and satisfying dinner everyone will enjoy.

This baked red and white pasta recipe is a quick weeknight meal that is loaded with flavor. The creamy garlic sauce makes an addictive base that pairs perfectly with a homemade red meat sauce.

Serve it up with a simple salad, some fresh garlic bread, and a glass of rosé and you’ve got yourself the start to a delicious night.

What is red and white pasta?

Red and white pasta, sometimes referred to as rosé pasta, is a simple pasta recipe made with a red sauce, white sauce, and pasta. The sauces are layered together and baked with the pasta for a delicious and comforting dinner.

The original recipe for red and white pasta consists of 4 ingredients:

Alfredo sauce
Marinara sauce
Pasta
Cheese

While all of these ingredients might have your mouth watering, if you are looking for an option that is dairy-free, I’ve got you covered!

A small black plate with red and white pasta and a gold fork to the left of the plate.

Why We LOVE this Red and White Spaghetti

I am all about a delicious pasta dish that comforts, fills, and has ample left-overs. Some other reasons we love this red and white pasta bake include:

Dairy-Free– This version of red and white spaghetti uses a dairy-free white sauce and no cheese to keep it filling, flavorful, and free-from dairy.
Filling– The filling noodles and the hearty meat sauce make this a dish that will keep you full for the night!
Toddler Approved– Our toddle inhales this tasty pasta recipe with a hunger he usually reserves for easy mac…

Dairy-Free Changes to Red and White Pasta

The original red and white pasta recipes use a jar of Alfredo sauce and at least a pound of shredded cheese. To keep this deliciously dairy-free the changes I’ve made include:

Homemade white sauce– Using my creamy garlic sauce as a white sauce replacement is key to getting a deliciously creamy pasta base.
No cheese. Plain and simple. The pasta stands alone without the need for any cheese.

How to make Dairy-Free Red and White Pasta

Ingredients You’ll Need

Spaghetti noodles– I like to keep this recipe simple with a traditional spaghetti noodle.
White sauce– Made from a vegan butter, oat milk, garlic, flour, salt, and pepper.
Red sauce– Ground beef, pasta sauce, garlic, and Italian seasoning make this hearty sauce.

Ingredients on a white counter for the red and white pasta.

Step-by-Step Directions for Red and White Spaghetti

Boil water: Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Cook pasta: Once boiling add the spaghetti noodles and cook according to package directions.
Drain pasta and set aside.

Make the White Sauce

Make a roux: In a deep skillet, over medium heat, melt vegan butter. Once melted whisk in flour and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes or until golden.
Add oat milk: Next, slowly whisk in oat milk a little at a time to thicken the sauce.
Season: Once all of the non-dairy milk has been added, season with salt and pepper and simmer about 3-5 minutes. The consistency should coat the back of a spoon.
Pour in casserole dish: Remove the sauce from the heat and pour into a deep casserole dish.
Toss the pasta with the white sauce to evenly coat.

Top down picture of the ingredients for the garlic cream sauce.

A large white skillet with a whisk and a roux.

Make the Red Sauce

Cook meat: In a deep skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble ground beef.
Add garlic: Once cooked through add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
Sauce up: Pour jarred pasta sauce over the ground beef, add 1/2 cup of water to the jar, shake it to get the remaining sauce out, and pour into the skillet.
Season with Italian seasoning and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Top down picture of the ingredients for a red meat sauce.

A large white skillet with a wooden spoon and browned ground beef.

Layer: Pour the red sauce over the white sauce coated spaghetti in the casserole pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes.

A large white baking dish with cooked spaghetti pasta coated in the garlic cream sauce.

A large white baking dish with pasta coated in garlic cream sauce and topped with a meat sauce.

Alternatives and Substitutions for Dairy-Free Red and White Baked Pasta

If you are looking to switch up a few things with this red and white pasta bake recipe here are some helpful tips.

Use a pre-made jar of dairy-free Alfredo sauce. This will save you a little time on the prep but might cost you on the flavor.
Pasta. Swap the pasta out with elbows, shells, penne, or ziti.
Arrabbiata Meat Sauce. If you are looking for a little heat, try making this arrabbiata sauce to pour on top instead of the marinara.
Top with vegan cheese shreds. If you simply can’t live without the cheese try using Chao or violife cheese shreds on top.

Storing and Re-heating Red and White Pasta

Refrigerate– Keep the red and white baked pasta in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after cooking.
Reheat– Simply warm the desired portions of baked pasta in the microwave in 30-second intervals until your preferred temperature.

How to Meal Prep Red and White Pasta

Make sauces in advance– Simply cook the sauces up to 3 days in advance and store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the baked pasta recipe.
Prep casserole in advance- You can make the whole casserole up to 3 days in advance but skip the part where you bake the pasta until the day you are ready to serve.

A small black plate with red and white pasta and garlic bread on a white counter with a small plate of garlic bread in the top left corner.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Pasta pot- Used for boiling spaghetti.
Ground meat chopper– Used to break apart the ground meat while you are cooking and crumbling it.
Deep casserole pan– I used my Staub 9×13-inch pan for this recipe which holds 4.75 quarts compared to the Pyrex 9×13 which only holds 3 quarts.

What to serve with Red and White Pasta

If you tried this hearty red and white baked pasta recipe feel free to leave a comment below, I would love to hear how it went! You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

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