Baked Ziti Recipe Meatless
This comforting, crowd-pleasing baked ziti recipe is a cheesy, satisfying meatless dish that even kids love! Easy to prepare and perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or make-ahead meals.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ziti pasta, uncooked
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 32 ounces spaghetti sauce your favorite jarred or homemade
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- butter for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti until just al dente, about 2-3 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, grated Parmesan, and half of the shredded mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper.
- In the same pot used for pasta, mix cooked ziti with the spaghetti sauce until evenly coated.
- Spread a thin layer of the pasta and sauce mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture, then evenly dollop the ricotta cheese mixture on top.
- Top with the remaining pasta mixture, spreading it evenly.
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top, along with extra Parmesan if desired.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Add sautéed vegetables like spinach or zucchini for extra nutrition. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta and ensure all sauces and cheeses are certified gluten-free. To reduce calories, opt for part-skim ricotta and mozzarella.