Meatless Baked Ziti

5 from 4 votes

A fantastic meatless side dish for any party or holiday gathering! This vegetarian comfort food will WOW your guests and satisfy vegetarians & meat-eaters alike.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner, Holiday, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 366kcal

Author: Kelly Jensen

Equipment

1 13 x 9 baking dish

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) Box Ziti noodles use gluten free
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 zucchini chopped
8 ounces mushrooms
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces ricotta cheese (For Vegan Option: sub 1 cup cashew cream)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided (For Vegan Option: sub plant-based cheese)
1 cup fresh parsley chopped
32 ounces marinara sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook the ziti al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, garlic powder, zucchini, ricotta, half of the mozzarella, parsley, spinach, and mushrooms. Mix together well so all the vegetables and cheese have combined.
In a deep 13x9 inch baking dish, layer 1 cup tomato sauce, half of the pasta, half of the cheese/vegetable mixture. Repeat again with another layer of sauce, pasta, and cheese. Sauce one more time for the final layer, and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top.
Bake for 30 minutes covered, and an additional 20 minutes uncovered until pasta and cheese becomes hot and bubbly.
***If making ahead of time, follow steps 1-4, then wrap the baking dish in tin foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, follow step 5.

Notes

Substitutions and Variations

You can substitute cottage cheese for ricotta, if desired.

Mozzarella cheese is great to top baked ziti, but you can also use a combination of mozzarella, Parmesan, or even provolone.

If you want to add different vegetables, you can add bell peppers or zucchini too!

Nutrition