Easy Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe (Cheesy!)

This delicious cheesy ricotta-filled baked ziti is the perfect cozy family recipe to make again and again. Packed full of Italian flavors, melted mozzarella, and creamy ricotta, this vegetarian recipe makes the best quick and tasty family dinner.

 

This easy pasta recipe is also the perfect casserole to share. It is one of my favorite ways to make baked pasta and the taste is a lot like lasagna! Make this recipe for a holiday, a sick family member, as a side dish for a potluck or just to meal prep an easy dinner.

Why We Love Baked Ziti

• Total Comfort Food: Warm, cheesy, and cozy! This is a go-to family favorite that both kids and adults love.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Prep it the night before or freeze it for later. It’s perfect for busy weeknights.
• Simple Ingredients: No fancy ingredients here—just classic pantry staples that come together fast.
• Perfect for Sharing: Great for potlucks, holidays, or bringing to a friend or family member who could use a comforting meal.
• Meatless (But Flexible!): This vegetarian baked ziti is hearty as-is, but you can easily add ground beef, sausage, chicken, or extra veggies like mushrooms or bell peppers.

Ingredients For This Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe

• ziti noodles- Most short shaped pasta can be swaped into this recipe.
• eggs
• ricotta cheese– I like 2% milk ricotta but I also use whole milk ricotta for a creamier dish.
• mozzarella cheese- diced or shredded, divided
• parmesan cheese – shredded and divided
• Italian seasoning
• parsley
• salt
• pepper
• garlic – minced, could also use garlic powder.
• marinara sauce – You can also use your favorite jarred tomato sauce.

How To Make Easy Baked Ziti

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Start a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente, usually 9-11 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside. The pasta cooks a little more in the pasta bake, so we don’t want to cook it real long in the salted wate.
3. Crack eggs into a large bowl then break yolks with a fork. Add ricotta cheese and mix well.
4. To the ricotta cheese add 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix the cheese mixture until combined.

5. Mix and toss the pasta in the mozzarella and ricotta mixture.
6. Spray a 9×13 large baking dish lightly with oil, then add half of the sauce (about 2 cups) to the bottom of the dish.

6. Add the pasta mixture to the baking dish spreading it evenly in the dish.
7. Top the pasta with the remaining marinara sauce (2 cups), mozzarella (1 cup) and parmesan cheese (1/2 cup). This cheese mixture on top of the pasta will get extra gooey.

9. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The sauce will be bubbling and the cheese on top will be melted and lightly browned. If the cheese is not quite melted and brown enough remove the foil and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes in the oven uncovered. Let stand for five minutes, then serve. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, fresh basil or red pepper flakes if desired.

How To Meal Prep And Freeze Baked Ziti

This recipe can be made up to 24 hours in advance before baking.

The dish can also be frozen. I recommend layering the pasta, cheese and sauce and freezing before you bake. Expect the recipe to take an extra 10-15 minutes to this ziti from frozen. If you prebake the recipe and then freeze the dish, the pasta is more likely to dry out as it reheats.

You can thaw in the refrigerator before baking once frozen, or you can bake from frozen. Expect if you are baking from frozen it will take 35-50 minutes to make this easy comfort food warm and bubbly.

How Long Does This Baked Ziti Last?

Store this recipe once cooked for about 3 days in the refrigerator tightly covered in an airtight container.

A frozen baked ziti will taste it’s best if enjoyed withing 5 months in the freezer if covered tightly. I cover the top tightly in both saran wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze in disposable aluminum pans.

Variation Ideas To Make Baked Ziti

Want to mix things up? These baked ziti variations make it easy to sneak in more protein or veggies, or just use what you have on hand. Keep in mind that adding extra ingredients might mean you’ll need to bake the dish 10–15 minutes longer until it’s hot and bubbly.

• Switch Up the Pasta: Short pasta shapes like rigatoni, fusilli, penne, or bowties all work great in place of ziti.
• Use a Different Sauce: Swap in your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce or homemade marinara (double the recipe to have enough).
• Add Extra Veggies: Stir in up to 1 cup of chopped veggies like bell peppers, onions, zucchini (pat dry), carrots, mushrooms, or broccoli. Mix them into the cheese layer or layer them under the sauce.
• Toss in Spinach: A few handfuls of fresh spinach can be added straight in. For larger amounts or frozen spinach, cook it first and squeeze out the excess water before mixing it into the ricotta layer.
• Mix in Ground Meat: Brown 1 pound of ground beef, turkey, or sausage with a little salt and pepper. Drain, then stir in half the sauce and layer it over the pasta before topping with cheese and more sauce.
• Add Cooked Chicken: About ½ to 1 pound of cooked or rotisserie chicken adds great flavor and protein. You can mix it into the pasta or layer it like the meat sauce.
• Try Cottage Cheese: Not a ricotta fan? Cottage cheese works just as well in this dish and still gives it that creamy, cheesy texture and is a little higher in protein.

Baked Ziti FAQ