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A hearty and flavorful vegetarian pasta bake! This easy, one-skillet vegetable and 5 cheese baked ziti is pure comfort food. With a blend of Italian cheeses, tender pasta that cooks right in the same skillet, and fresh zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions in a zesty tomato sauce, the meal is satisfying and delicious. Serve the casserole with a Caesar salad and garlic bread for the ultimate family dinner!
Baked Ziti Recipe No Meat
While we always enjoy a classic baked ziti with Italian sausage, this vegetarian baked ziti is equally well-loved in our house. It’s approved by the kids, in spite of the abundance of fresh veggies! Perhaps it’s the flavorful tomato sauce, or maybe it’s the five different types of cheese that makes it so delicious. Personally, I just love the fact that it’s a one-pan meal that takes very little effort and results in fewer dishes to wash at the end!
Is baked ziti just lasagna?
No, baked ziti and lasagna are not the same dish. While the baked pasta dishes share many common ingredients, there are a handful of differences. Some baked ziti requires layering the pasta, sauce, and ricotta cheese in a baking dish (like you might with sheets of lasagna noodles); however, this one-pan recipe does not. Instead, the ziti noodles cook right in the skillet with the veggies and sauce — no layering necessary. While you can certainly add dollops of ricotta cheese to the pan, I’ve opted for a blend of five other Italian cheeses instead.
Why is it called baked ziti?
Baked ziti is a casserole that’s made with ziti and a Neapolitan-style tomato-based sauce that’s popular in Italian-American cuisine. Ziti is a tube-shaped pasta, which gets its name from the word “zita,” or bride. In Naples, ziti is the classic pasta served for weddings as the “zita’s pasta.”
What is the difference between baked ziti and baked penne?
While the two pasta shapes look very similar, ziti is not the same as penne. Penne originates from Campania, a region in southwestern Italy. Penne is shorter than ziti, and larger in diameter. Ziti’s ends are cut straight, unlike penne’s diagonal ends. While penne is rarely used in Italy for baked dishes, ziti is typically used for oven-baked casseroles.
All of those differences aside, we’re not too particular around here. If you need to substitute penne for the ziti in this recipe, feel free! The pasta bake will be delicious either way!
The Best Pan for Baked Ziti
Regular readers know that I love cooking with my cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens! That’s why I prefer to make my vegetarian baked ziti in a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet. It saves me from washing extra dishes at the end, because cast iron skillets go from the stovetop to the oven. The vegetables, sauce, and pasta cook in the same skillet that you use to bake the casserole! More importantly, though, cast iron retains and evenly-distributes the heat better than any other type of pan. As a result, your baked ziti heats through evenly and you get those delicious crisp edges on the pasta and cheese. It’s heavenly!
Don’t worry, though — you don’t actually need a cast iron skillet to prepare this dish. Feel free to transfer the mixture to a standard 2-quart baking dish for the final step in the oven.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of easy baked ziti with no ricotta. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil: to saute the vegetables.
- Mushrooms, zucchini, sweet bell pepper, onion, and garlic: fresh vegetables that add flavor and hearty texture to the casserole. No meat necessary!
- Red pepper flakes: for a little spicy kick.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Crushed tomatoes: the base of the tomato sauce.
- Water: to thin the sauce and cook the pasta.
- Ziti: the dry, uncooked ziti goes straight into the pan and cooks right in the sauce. You do not need to boil it first.
- Sugar: just a hint of sweetness to balance the acidity in the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream: adds richness to the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: for extra flavor in the dish.
- Basil: fresh herbs are always my preference, but you can substitute with about 1-2 tablespoons of dried basil or dried Italian seasoning if necessary.
- Italian 5 cheese blend: a convenient combination of grated mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses. If you can’t find the Italian blend, you can use regular shredded mozzarella cheese.
Do I need to add eggs?
A typical baked ziti recipe calls for layers of pasta, sauce, meat, and ricotta. The ricotta layer usually includes eggs as as a binder to give the ricotta mixture more structure. Since we’re not layering the ingredients in our skillet, and since we’re not using any ricotta at all, there’s no need for an egg in this particular recipe. Instead, you’ll just stir Parmesan cheese into the pan, and sprinkle five different types of shredded cheese on top.
How to Make Vegetarian Baked Ziti
This easy baked ziti recipe comes together fairly quickly, and with minimal effort! Best of all, it’s a one-pot meal with very few dishes to wash at the end. No need to brown sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef in a separate pan, and no need to boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water before adding it to a casserole dish. So perfect for busy families!
- Sauté the vegetables in olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, water, uncooked ziti, sugar, and salt.
- Simmer the pasta in the sauce until the ziti is almost tender (al dente), about 15-18 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, the grated Parmesan cheese, and the fresh basil. Season the dish with extra salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the Italian cheeses over top.
- Transfer the skillet to a 475°F oven.
- Bake, uncovered, until the cheese melts and browns on top, about 10 minutes.
- Garnish with additional fresh basil just before serving.
What to Serve with this Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
Here are some easy sides that go well with meatless baked ziti:
- Garlic bread, homemade focaccia, breadsticks, or a crusty loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread
- Green salad with red wine vinaigrette, mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette, or a classic Caesar salad
- Tomato salad with basil and balsamic
- Cucumber, tomato, and onion salad
- Roasted broccoli or asparagus
- Sauteed asparagus
- 3-ingredient roasted yellow squash or sauteed zucchini
- 2-ingredient Italian sugar snap peas
- Brown sugar glazed carrots
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Fennel salad with apples and creamy cider dressing
Storage
Leftover meatless baked ziti will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months; however, the pasta may have a slightly mushy texture when thawed.
How to Reheat
Thaw frozen ziti in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual portions in a microwave for 1-2 minutes on high power.
Recipe Variations
- Substitute penne for the ziti.
- Add baby spinach to the sauce. It will wilt almost instantly and blend into the casserole.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 2-quart dish before topping with cheese and baking.
- Use sliced fresh mozzarella on top of the casserole, or substitute with shredded mozzarella instead of the 5 cheese blend.
- Add dollops of ricotta to the pasta mixture before baking.
Tips for the Best Baked Ziti Recipe
- If the sauce gets too thick while the pasta is simmering on the stovetop, add extra water to thin.
- For an even creamier, richer sauce, increase the heavy cream to ½ cup.
- Bake the ziti uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
- Fresh herbs really brighten up a warm, cozy casserole. I love to garnish with parsley, basil, oregano, or thyme. Some extra grated Parmesan on top is also a great touch!
- To feed a larger group, double all of the ingredients and prepare the mixture in a large Dutch oven. Transfer the ziti and sauce to a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, top with cheese, and bake as instructed.
More Baked Pasta Recipes to Try
- Baked Ziti with Sausage
- Simple Baked Rigatoni
- Homemade Lasagna
- Three-Cheese Vegetarian Baked Ziti
- Vegetable Lasagna
- Spinach Lasagna
- Baked Penne
- Spaghetti Casserole
- Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole
- Spinach Stuffed Shells
One-Skillet Vegetable and 5-Cheese Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper (any color), seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 tablespoon total)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 8 ounces dry ziti pasta
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or increase to ½ cup for a creamier texture)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup shredded Italian 5 Cheese blend (a combination of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 475°F.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion; sauté until the onion is translucent and the other vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, uncovered, stirring often and adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the liquid at a good simmer, until the ziti is almost tender, about 15-18 minutes. Add extra water, if necessary, if the sauce looks too thick.
- Stir in the cream, the grated Parmesan cheese, and the minced fresh basil. Season the dish with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the Italian cheese blend evenly over the top of the pasta.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese melts and browns on top, about 10 minutes.
- Garnish with additional fresh basil just before serving.
Notes
- If the sauce gets too thick while the pasta is simmering on the stovetop, add extra water to thin.
- For an even creamier, richer sauce, increase the heavy cream to ½ cup.
- Bake the ziti uncovered so that the cheese on top turns brown and the edges get crispy.
- Fresh herbs really brighten up a warm, cozy casserole. I love to garnish with parsley, basil, oregano or thyme. Some extra grated Parmesan on top is also a great touch!
- To feed a larger group, double all of the ingredients and prepare the mixture in a large Dutch oven. Transfer the ziti and sauce to a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, top with cheese, and bake as instructed.
- Substitute penne for the ziti.
- Add baby spinach to the sauce. It will wilt almost instantly and blend into the casserole.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 2-quart dish before topping with cheese and baking.
- Use sliced fresh mozzarella on top of the casserole, or substitute with shredded mozzarella instead of the 5 cheese blend.
- Add dollops of ricotta to the pasta mixture before baking.
