Cheesy meatless baked ziti is hearty vegetarian comfort food—rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor. This classic Italian-inspired dish layers tender pasta with a rich marinara sauce, creamy ricotta, and plenty of gooey mozzarella for a satisfying, oven-baked meal.
Perfect for weeknight dinner, meal prep, and gatherings, this pasta bake delivers all the flavor of traditional baked ziti while keeping it completely vegetarian. With simple ingredients, you'll have a delicious, crowd-pleasing dish ready to serve in no time!
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If you are looking for other meatless recipes that will impress both the meat-eaters and the vegetarians in your life, try my One Pot Tomato Spinach Pasta, Tortellini Zucchini Soup, and Easy Frozen Burrito Casserole.
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What you need to make Meatless Baked Ziti
- Ziti. Other pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or rotini can be used. When you cook the pasta, don't cook all the way to al dente, because it will cook further when the dish is baking.
- Marinara sauce. You can use homemade marinara or from a jar. I always use Rao's when I am using jar sauce—its flavor really is superior to other jar sauces. If you prefer to use a meat sauce, you can.
- Italian seasoning.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Egg.
- Ricotta cheese. I use whole milk ricotta.
- Grated Parmesan cheese.
- Dried parsley. I like to also add fresh parsley for garnish if I have it on hand.
- Salt.
- Not pictured: nonstick cooking spray
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Meatless Baked Ziti
Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to the package directions but slightly undercook, then drain (1). In a medium bowl, combine pasta sauce and Italian seasoning and mix well (2). Remove 2 cups sauce and set aside.
Stir remaining sauce into cooked pasta in a large bowl (3). In a medium bowl, beat the egg (4).
Stir the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, and salt into the beaten egg until blended (5).
Place half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish (6), then sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese on top. Place the ricotta cheese mixture over the mozzarella cheese by dolloping with a spoon and gently spread (7).
Top with remaining pasta, then sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese (8).
Spread remaining pasta sauce evenly to the edges of the dish, coating all the pasta.
Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until very hot in center and edges are bubbly.
Tip: We like our cheese a bit crispy, but if you prefer soft, stringy cheese on top, you can wait to put the last layer of mozzarella cheese on until after baking for 25-30 minutes. After baking, sprinkle with the last of the mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until melted.
Storage and freezing
Here's how to freeze and store this easy baked ziti recipe.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This vegetarian baked ziti recipe freezes well. Prepare the recipe as directed in a freezer- and oven-safe baking pan but do not bake. Wrap securely in foil or freezer paper and freeze for up to 6 months. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, place the baking dish at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake according to recipe instructions.
Meatless Baked Ziti Date____________________
Thaw overnight in refrigerator. When ready to bake, place the baking dish at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until heated through.
FAQ
What can I use if I don't have ricotta cheese?
Although there is a texture and taste difference, you can use small curd cottage cheese in place of ricotta if you can't find ricotta.
Do I need to rinse ziti after cooking it?
No, there is no need to rinse the ziti after cooking it.
Recipe
Cheesy Meatless Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 50 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Grate 3 cups mozzarella cheese.
- Cook 12 ounces ziti pasta according to package directions but slightly undercook; drain.
- In a medium bowl, combine 50 ounces pasta sauce and 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning. Remove 2 cups and set aside.
- Stir remaining sauce into cooked pasta.
- In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg and stir in 15 ounces ricotta cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt until blended.
- Place half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Place ricotta mixture over the mozzarella cheese by dolloping with a spoon and gently spreading over the mozzarella cheese.
- Top with remaining pasta, then sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining pasta sauce evenly to edges of dish, coating all pasta.
- Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until very hot in center and edges are bubbly.
- If desired, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition per serving
What to serve with Meatless Baked Ziti
This meatless baked ziti recipe is perfect with a salad or steamed, sautéed, or roasted vegetables and a side of garlic bread.
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