Meatless Baked Ziti
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!
Ingredients needed
- Ziti pasta
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Marinara sauce
- Mozzarella
- Ricotta
- Diced tomatoes
- Balsamic vinegar
- Basil
- Parsley
Quick 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.
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.
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
Equipment
- Baking Dish 16×8 or 9 inch round
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ziti pasta dry
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes rinsed & drained
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup basil chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese whole milk
- 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.