Baked Ziti

Vegetarian Baked Ziti is the ultimate meatless comfort meal.  Made with loads of tender ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, marinara sauce, and more, this is a cozy go-to dinner that you find yourself making again and again.

Love easy baked pasta dinners?  Also, try my 4 Ingredient Tortellini Pasta Bake, Crock Pot Ravioli Lasagna, Crock Pot Baked Ziti, and Baked Goat Cheese Pasta. 

Vegetarian Baked Ziti recipe

My Vegetarian Baked Ziti is my go-to family recipe, which I make for dinner at least once a month.  It's cozy, cheesy, saucy, and oh-so-darn delicious.  The rich layers of marinara sauce, tender penne pasta, Italian spiced ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, AND parmesan cheese will have everyone asking for seconds.  It comes together with just 6 ingredients, plus spices.

It's a cheesy, melty perfect dinner for kids and adults.  This meatless recipe is easier to make because you don't have to brown or fuss over cooking meat like ground beef or ground sausage on the stove in a pan.  My kids love it, and I dare say it rivals my favorite restaurnt Baked Ziti at Olive Garden.  Y'all will have to let me know. 🙂

I've shared my Crock Pot Baked Ziti before, but never the recipe I make week after week.  In fact, this is one of those dishes I often make when bringing a family a meal in times of need.  I get asked how I make it often, so I thought it was finally time to share my Baked Ziti, which just happens to be meatless.  This is so hearty, you will never miss the meat.

Why You'll Love this Vegetarian Baked Ziti recipe...

• Vegetarian Baked Ziti is the perfect casserole for a family.
• It's made with only 6 main ingredients that are budget-friendly and easy to find!  You might even already have them in your pantry and fridge.
• This is a great dish to bring to a party or a family in need.
• There are layers of gooey, delicious cheese.  It tastes amazing!
• It makes a hearty portion, making it great for a family dinner, leftovers, or even a party!
• The leftovers heat up great!
• Did I mention how amazing it tastes?

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Vegetarian Baked Ziti, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta cheese is a key ingredient that gives the Baked Ziti its classic baked pasta flavor.  Ricotta is a light, fluffy cheese often used in Italian dishes.  You will need two 15 ounce containers.  You can find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the yogurt and cottage cheese.  You can use whole milk ricotta cheese or fat-free.  You can substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta in this recipe.
• Pasta Sauce: Use a good store-bought pasta sauce, tomato sauce, or marinara sauce, since that's where most of this dish's flavor comes from.  Whichever type your family prefers will work.  If you are feeling extra ambitious, you can make your own with my Crock Pot Marinara Sauce.
• Egg: Use one egg to give the pasta a baked consistency.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: A must for any baked pasta.
• Italian Seasoning: I make my own Italian Seasoning blend with oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and sage.  You can also use your favorite store brand.
• Ziti Noodles: I like using ziti pasta so it cooks evenly.  Although penne or ziti is traditionally used for baked ziti, you can use other short pasta like macaroni, rigatoni, or rotini, if you don't have penne.
• Italian Cheese Blend: You can use the Italian Cheese Blend in the store, which often is a blend of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and romano.  You can also use just regular shredded mozzarella cheese if you prefer.  Either will work great!  I love the added depth of flavor of the pre-mixed Italian cheese.
• Garlic Salt: I love adding just a touch of garlic salt for a pop of flavor.
• Salt & Pepper
• Garnish: Herbs like fresh basil or parsley

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions for making this Vegetarian Baked Ziti, but the full, detailed, printable recipe is in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta according to package instructions. Cook al dente, a minute or two less than the box says, as it will continue to cook in the oven.  When the pasta is cooked, drain the water.
3. Set aside about ¼ of the Parmesan cheese, grated Italian blend cheese, and Italian Seasoning to top the ziti.
4. In a medium bowl, mix and stir together the ricotta cheese, egg, pasta sauce, the remaining grated Parmesan cheese, Italian Cheese, Italian Seasoning, and garlic salt.
5. Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish. Cover with the remaining grated cheese and Italian Seasoning. I like to sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on top too.
6. Bake until bubbly and golden brown. It should take 30-35 minutes to finish.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Vegetarian Baked Ziti Variations

I love this Vegetarian Baked Ziti as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Make it Gluten-Free: Substitute gluten-free pasta for regular pasta.
• Make it Meaty: Add a layer of cooked ground beef, chicken, ground turkey, or Italian sausage to the casserole.  You will need to take the extra step of pre-cooking any meat you add to the casserole in a large skillet.
• Add Veggies: You can boost the nutritional value of this dinner by layering in vegetables like shredded carrots, tomatoes, onions, olives, zucchini, kale, spinach, mushrooms, or even bell peppers.
• Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.

FAQ

Storage & Leftovers

This Vegetarian Baked Ziti is great for leftovers.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Make Ahead

You can make this several days in advance and cook it when you are ready to eat.  It's the perfect dish for making ahead.  Let the dish come to room temperature before popping it in the oven, so you don't break it.

Freezing

You can freeze this dish after cooking.  Put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months.  When you are ready to reheat it, thaw it and reheat it in the microwave or the oven.

If you make this Vegetarian Baked Ziti, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Vegetarian Baked Ziti

Vegetarian Baked Ziti is the ultimate meatless comfort meal.  Made with loads of tender ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, marinara sauce, and more, this is a cozy go-to dinner that you find yourself making again and again.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8

Calories 479 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 16 ounces ziti pasta
• 30 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 26 ounces pasta sauce
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 14 ounces grated Italian Cheese Blend, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt, divided

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
• In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta according to package instructions. Cook al dente, a minute or two less than the box says, as it will continue to cook in the oven.  When the pasta is cooked, drain the water.
• Set aside about ¼ of the Parmesan cheese, grated Italian blend cheese, and Italian Seasoning to top the ziti.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, pasta sauce, the remaining grated Parmesan cheese, Italian Cheese, Italian Seasoning, and garlic salt.
• Put the cooked pasta into the cheese mixture and mix together well.
• Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish. Cover with the remaining grated cheese and Italian Seasoning. I like to sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on top too.
• Bake until bubbly and golden brown. It should take 30-35 minutes until done.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

This Vegetarian Baked Ziti is great for leftovers.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

 

Make Ahead

You can make this several days in advance and cook it when you are ready to eat.  It's the perfect dish for making ahead.  Let the dish come to room temperature before popping it in the oven, so you don't break it.

 

Freezing

You can freeze this dish after cooking.  Put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months.  When you are ready to reheat it, thaw it and reheat it in the microwave or the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 32gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1267mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 732IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 651mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Crock Pot Baked Ziti, Meatless Baked Ziti, Vegetarian Baked Ziti

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