Level up your VEGETARIAN game with this incredible BAKED ZITI
Quite possibly the ultimate comfort food! This vegetarian baked ziti recipe boasts layers of hearty pasta, rich marinara sauce, and creamy cheese, all baked to perfection. Perfect for vegetarians and pasta lovers alike, this recipe features a medley of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and gooey mozzarella cheese for a taste sensation that will leave you craving more. Whether you're hosting a family dinner or looking for a cozy weeknight meal, this vegetarian baked ziti is sure to impress. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you can whip up a delicious and nutritious dish that's guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters. So grab your apron and get ready for the cheesy goodness of our vegetarian baked ziti recipe!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Ziti
- 10 C marinara sauce your favorite or see my recipe below
- 2 lbs. low moisture mozzarella shredded
- 2 medium sized zucchinis cut lengthwise into fourths and then diced into large bite sized chunks
- 24 ounces mushrooms sliced (I used a mixture of baby portobellas and white button mushrooms)
- 32 ounces of ricotta drained using a coffee filter and strainer over a large bowl, overnight or at least 3-4 hours
- 2 12-ounce packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed (put this in a clean dish towel and squeeze all the water out)
- 1 large egg whisked
- ½ C grated pecorino romano cheese more for sprinkling over the ziti
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- This is such an amazing dish. It’s also a great freezer meal. This will make 2 casseroles.
- In a large stock pot, boil water and add about 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt.
- Now, add your pasta and cook till about ¾ of the cooking time on the package.
- Once pasta is done, pull out of the pot using a spider and add to a large bowl that has 3-4 ladles of your marinara sauce. Stir the pasta and coat with the sauce.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Once the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add your zucchini. Season the zucchini with 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Cook the zucchini, stirring until lightly browned. This will take 5-8 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Now, repeat the same step with the mushrooms. Remove the mushrooms and add to the dish with the zucchini.
- In another large bowl, add your ricotta, whisked egg, 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella, drained spinach and ½ cup of pecorino romano. Mix this all together until combined.
- Now, it’s time to assemble! You’ll need to 9 x 13 casserole dishes. Ladle enough sauce onto the bottom of each dish so the pasta won’t stick. You now want to layer like a lasagna. You want to add a layer of pasta, zucchini and mushrooms next, ricotta mixture, mozzarella and layer of sauce. Repeat with a second layer. Finish by covering the whole casserole with mozzarella. You will do this for both casseroles.
- You can now bake this in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. I like to cover for the first 20-30 minutes and then uncover until the cheese is nice and browned and the casserole is bubbling.
- You can also cover the casseroles with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. I like to write on the foil, so I know what’s in my freezer. This will stay good in your freezer up to 3 months.
- You can cook this right from your freezer, 400-degrees for 1-hour and 15 minutes or defrost the night before and cook for 45 minutes as described above.
- This is delicious and you’ll be glad you made two. Enjoy!