Meatless Baked Ziti

5 from 1 vote

Enjoy a delicious and hearty meal with this easy meatless baked ziti recipe. With a blend of creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella cheese, this dish is guaranteed to become a new favorite in your household.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 365kcal

Author: Joy Kincaid

Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) ziti pasta uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion diced
2 medium zucchinis cut into ½ inch pieces (about 3 cups chopped)
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream

Ricotta Mixture

15 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded

Topping

1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Parsley or fresh basil minced for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and make sure oven rack is in the middle.
Following package directions, boil pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package says. The noodles will continue cooking in the oven. Drain well once they are done and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, cook the vegetables. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook till the zucchini is almost done but not quite yet, about 8 minutes Drain any moisture from the skillet if there is any.
Add the garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the vegetables in the skillet, and cook another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and cup of cream to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until it’s warm. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Season with more salt or pepper to taste.
In a small mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, egg, salt, pepper, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan.
Prepare a a 9x13 casserole dish by greasing it with coconut oil or spraying with cooking spray. Pour half the pasta and sauce into casserole dish followed by dolloping half the ricotta mixture over top. It doesn’t have to be evenly spread, spooning it on is just fine. Pour the remaining pasta on top followed by the rest of the ricotta mixture dolloped on top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle finely chopped basil or parsley on top for garnish, if desired.

Notes

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store leftover meatless baked ziti in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Either cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, or move the baked ziti leftovers to an airtight container for storage.

To reheat, put the covered baking dish of ziti into the cold oven and turn oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through. You may need to add a little bit of liquid to keep the leftovers from drying out as they're being reheated.

You can also freeze the baked ziti by covering the baking dish tightly or sealing leftovers in a plastic zipper bag, and then storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. The pasta may have a softer texture after freezing.

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