Description
This Vegetarian Baked Ziti is a comforting and hearty Italian-American dish featuring tender pasta mixed with a flavorful vegetable tomato sauce, creamy ricotta and parmesan cheese blend, and topped with bubbling mozzarella. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines sautéed vegetables with a rich tomato basil sauce and a cheesy baked finish for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb ziti pasta
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 whole bulb of garlic (10-15 cloves, finely diced or minced)
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
Cheese & Herbs
- ½ cup fresh chopped basil (around 1 oz worth when packaged)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Sauce & Seasoning
- 32 oz high quality pasta sauce (such as Rao’s tomato basil)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing)
- Olive oil or cooking spray for greasing casserole dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the ziti dish later.
- Prepare to sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, creating a flavorful base for your vegetables.
- Start boiling pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the ziti pasta. You can do this simultaneously with sautéing the vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the diced onion, garlic, zucchini, and red bell pepper to the heated olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and release their flavors.
- Add sauce and salt: Pour in the 32 oz of high-quality pasta sauce along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Let this simmer gently for 5 minutes to meld the flavors while the pasta finishes cooking.
- Prepare the ricotta cheese mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup of fresh chopped basil, and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. Mix until well blended.
- Cook and drain pasta: Once the ziti is tender, drain and immediately mix it into the skillet with the simmering vegetable sauce. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
- Prepare casserole dish: Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish lightly with olive oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Layer half the pasta mixture: Spread half of the sauce-coated ziti evenly in the prepared casserole dish.
- Add ricotta-parmesan-basil layer: Evenly spread the ricotta, parmesan, and basil mixture over the ziti layer.
- Top with parmesan cheese: Sprinkle 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese over the ricotta mixture for extra cheesiness.
- Add remaining pasta: Spread the remaining half of the ziti and sauce mixture on top, covering the cheese layer.
- Top with mozzarella cheese: Sprinkle 8 oz shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the casserole for a golden cheesy crust.
- Bake covered: Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge and the cheese to start melting.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the dish is bubbly and cooked through.
- Broil for browning: For a beautiful browned cheese crust, broil the baked ziti for 1-2 minutes at the end, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- You can substitute ziti with penne or rigatoni if preferred.
- Use fresh herbs like basil for best flavor, but dried can be used in a pinch (reduce quantity).
- For a richer dish, add extra mozzarella or parmesan to taste.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 5 minutes before serving to set and cool slightly.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
