Meatless Baked Ziti
If you are craving a hearty Italian dinner without the meat, this meatless baked ziti is about to become your new go to recipe. It is loaded with caramelized onions, wilted spinach, and three kinds of cheese, all baked together until bubbly and golden. We promise even the meat lovers in your house will not miss a thing.
We have a serious love for pasta bakes around here, so if this one hits the spot, we think you will enjoy a few of our other favorites too. Try our slow cooker baked ziti for a hands off version, our easy simple lasagna when you want something extra cheesy, or our rigatoni with Italian sausage the next time you are in the mood for meat.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Meatless but still hearty: Between the caramelized onions and three kinds of cheese, this dish has so much flavor that nobody will ask where the meat went.
- Great for feeding a crowd: This recipe makes six generous servings, so it is perfect for busy weeknights or for feeding family and friends.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can assemble it up to a day ahead or freeze it for up to three months, making it easy to plan meals in advance.
Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This baked ziti starts with a base of pasta, marinara sauce, and onions that we cook low and slow until they turn deeply golden and sweet. We fold in fresh spinach for a little green, then mix ricotta with parmesan, lemon zest, basil, and parsley for a filling that is bright, creamy, and full of flavor. Mozzarella gets layered throughout so every scoop has that perfect cheese pull.
Variations
- Add more veggies: Stir in sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers with the onions for extra texture and color.
- Make it spicier: Add extra red pepper flakes or a pinch of crushed chili to give the sauce a little more heat.
- Swap the greens: Use kale or Swiss chard in place of spinach for a heartier texture and a slightly different flavor.
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until deeply golden and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the marinara sauce, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir the fresh spinach into the warm sauce until just wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, half of the parmesan, lemon zest, basil, and parsley. Mix until smooth.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the pasta over the sauce, then dollop half of the ricotta mixture on top.
- Pour over more sauce and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ricotta, sauce, and mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Expert Tips
- Let the onions cook low and slow: Resist the urge to turn up the heat. Cooking the onions slowly is what gives this dish its rich, savory flavor.
- Salt the pasta water well: Since the pasta bakes again in the oven, seasoning the boiling water helps build flavor from the start.
- Do not overbake: Pull the ziti out once the cheese is melted and golden so the pasta stays tender instead of drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes, you can assemble the whole dish up to a day in advance. Just cover and refrigerate, then bake when you are ready, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time since it will be starting out cold.
Absolutely. Assemble the dish in a freezer safe pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
Cottage cheese works well if you blend it smooth first, or you can use a mix of mascarpone and parmesan for a similar creamy texture.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Meatless Baked Ziti
Equipment
- large pot
- Colander
- large skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- 9×13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce or homemade tomato sauce
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 pound ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 lemon zested
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until deeply golden and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the fresh spinach to the warm sauce and stir until just wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, half of the parmesan cheese, lemon zest, basil, and parsley. Mix until smooth.
- Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the cooked pasta over the sauce, then dollop half of the ricotta mixture on top.
- Pour more sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, sauce, and mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra basil or parsley if desired.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
