Meatless Baked Ziti: Best Baked Ziti Recipe With No Meat

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Meatless baked ziti is a still an amazing recipe without the meat. A baked ziti recipe with no meat is still cheesy goodness that’s easy to make!

Meatless baked ziti

Baked ziti with no meat is a great way to get an amazing Italian flavor but without the animal protein.

Meatless baked ziti comes with the classic tomato sauce and super cheesy topping with scoops of ricotta cheese in every bite with ziti pasta.

Keep reading and I’ll show you how to make this meatless baked ziti with the most flavor and in the easiest way possible. Leaving the rest of your day for something other than cooking.

How To Make Meatless Baked Ziti

Grab these ingredients on your next store run

  • Ziti pasta
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Marinara sauce
  • Mozzarella
  • Ricotta
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Basil
  • Parsley
Meatless baked ziti

Read these tips before you start the recipe

  • In this baked ziti with no meat recipe all the flavor is in the sauce. Store bought marinara sauce is used but I pump it up quite a bit. However, if there is a sauce you love that is perfect that will make the recipe even easier for you and you can skip the steps where I add ingredients into the baked ziti sauce. I also have great cherry tomato sauce that’s incredible.
  • Some people do not enjoy ricotta cheese and it’s definitely an ingredient you can leave out. For the best flavor, I recommend using whole milk mozzarella cheese and using fresh basil and parsley.
  • Prepare the ziti pasta last. On the internet, I see people using oil to keep the pasta from sticking while they make the rest of the recipe. The stickiness in the pasta is what you want the sauce to cling to so do not use oil and stop that. Simply make the pasta last then toss it directly into the sauce that you had already prepared.
Meatless baked ziti

Making the baked ziti with no meat

  1. First, you want to prepare the sauce. In a pot or sauce pan on medium high heat and a little oil then diced onion and diced tomatoes. Cook the onions until they lightly brown and become translucent.
  2. Then, toss in the minced cloves of garlic with the chopped basil and parsley.
  3. Mix this around about 30 seconds then pour in the marinara sauce. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the hot stove eye.
  4. Next, add in the balsamic vinegar then salt and black pepper to taste.
  5. On the side, prepare the ziti pasta per the instructions on the package.
  6. After the pasta is finished toss the pasta directly into the sauce.
  7. Now, in a 16×8 or 9 inch round baking dish add the pasta and sauce. Then, add about 6 teaspoons of ricotta cheese across the top and spread it through the pasta lightly.
  8. Lastly, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until cheese has melted.
  9. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit then serve. Garnish with chopped parsley or grated parmesan cheese.

Storing the leftovers and reheating

Meatless baked ziti is great for freezing for later. In the refrigerator, this recipe should keep 3-4 days easily but you can freeze it also and keep it for a few months.

With reheating, you can treat the baked ziti like lasagna. Once cool, cut it off into squares and reheat it in the oven or the microwave. For the oven reheat at 350F until the cheese has melted and is heated through the middle.

Meatless baked ziti

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a substitute for ricotta cheese in baked ziti?

If you do not like ricotta simply leave it out. You do not have to replace anything with it.

Do you cover baked ziti in the oven?

No, treat this meatless baked ziti like a casserole. Everything is already cooked before you put it in the oven. The goal is to melt the cheese on top.

Vegetarian dishes to go with meatless baked ziti

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Meatless baked ziti

Meatless Baked Ziti

Meatless baked ziti is a still an vegetarian recipe without the meat. A baked ziti recipe with no meat is still cheesy goodness that's easy to make!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 serving

Equipment

  • Baking Dish 16×8 or 9 inch round

Ingredients
 

  • 16 ounces ziti pasta, uncooked
  • 24 ounces marinara sauce
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, rinsed & drained
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup basil, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉, prep all ingredients before starting the sauce
  • Prepare the sauce. In a pot or sauce pan on medium high heat and a little oil then diced onion and diced tomatoes. Cook the onions until they lightly brown and become translucent.
  • Then, toss in the minced cloves of garlic with the chopped basil and parsley.
  • Mix this around about 30 seconds then pour in the marinara sauce. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the hot stove eye.
  • Next, add in the balsamic vinegar then salt and black pepper to taste.
  • On the side, prepare the ziti pasta per the instructions on the package.
  • After the pasta is finished toss the pasta directly into the sauce.
  • Now, in a 16×8 or 9 inch round baking dish add the pasta and sauce. Then, add about 6 teaspoons of ricotta cheese across the top and spread it through the pasta lightly.
  • Lastly, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until cheese has melted.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit then serve. Garnish with chopped parsley or grated parmesan cheese.
Keyword Meatless Baked Ziti
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