Baked ziti is comfort food at its finest. It’s typically heavy, cheese-filled, and delicious – a real crowd-pleaser. But, beyond just creating a vegetarian version, I wanted to develop a healthier version that still delivered on being a delicious crowd-pleaser. This meatless baked ziti is cheesy, savory, and very filling but doesn’t feel heavy in the stomach, thanks to the generous amount of veggies that are included (like zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, and white onion). Plus, packed with ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese, it’s a cheesy dish that everyone will love.
Here’s what you’ll need
This healthy baked ziti is made with three main components: the pasta, the sauce, and the ricotta mixture.
The Pasta: Baked ziti technically uses ziti noodles, but using a different shape won’t totally mess up your recipe. If you can’t find ziti noodles, try a different type of pasta like penne or rigatoni! Veggies: This ziti is packed with zucchini (yellow squash works, too), eggplant, bell pepper (any color is fine), white onion, and garlic. Feel free to add or omit different veggies depending on what you have on hand. Mini peppers, red onion, mushrooms, etc., will all work well! The Sauce: For this, you’ll need olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, and marinara sauce. If you want to go full homemade on this dish and need a good marinara recipe, try out my Fresh Tomato Marinara (perfect for using up fresh tomatoes), this Roasted Tomato Sauce, or this creamy Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce! Ricotta Mixture: This portion of the recipe will include ricotta, frozen spinach (thawed), and parmesan. More Cheese: In addition to the ricotta mixture, we’ll also be using an easy parmesan and mozzarella blend to sprinkle in the middle and on top (hello cheese).
let’s make baked ziti
This meal requires 30 minutes of prep time as well as 30 minutes of baking time. In just an hour, you have a warm, bubbling tray of delicious vegetable filled baked ziti!
Baked Ziti Pro tips
Layer as Directed: Be sure to layer your ziti as directed in the instructions. The layers go in a specific order that allows the dish to cook to perfection! Keep it Moist: If you find that your meatless baked ziti turned out to be too dry, be sure that you’re using the amount of sauce called for in the recipe. Too little sauce can make for a dry bake. Use Foil: Place a layer of greased (use cooking spray) aluminum foil over the top of your bake, oiled side down. This helps lock in moisture as it cooks. Remove the foil about 10 minutes before the bake comes out of the oven to allow the cheese to brown up.
Making Ziti Ahead of Time
You can make this baked pasta dish ahead of time and have it ready to pop in the oven 30 minutes before it’s time to eat. Feel free to prepare and assemble your ziti, wrap or cover it, and then stick it in the refrigerator overnight to serve the next day. When ready to cook, remove from the fridge, remove the wrap, and bake as directed. You can also freeze prepared ziti for up to a month. When ready to cook, allow the ziti to thaw, and then bake as directed.
Sides great for pairing with baked ziti
While your ziti bakes to golden, gooey perfection, whip up a side or two to accompany it!
Roasted Asparagus with Romesco Sauce: This is a simple and easy recipe that uses many of the same ingredients. Vegetarian Caesar Salad: A Caesar salad and pasta dish is the perfect dinner match. Vegan Garlic Bread: Dip this toasty garlic bread into the cheesy ziti.
