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    Home » All Recipes » Pasta » Meatless Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Mozzarella

    Meatless Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Mozzarella

    Published on Mar 27, 2020 by Jim · Updated on Mar 22, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This meatless baked ziti is a simple, yet hearty dish the whole family will love!  Ziti pasta is combined with sweet tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, melty mozzarella, and salty Pecorino Romano cheese, and then baked until bubbly and just the slightest bit crisp.   If this isn't the ultimate comfort food, I don't know what is!

    Close up shot of baked ziti.

    This is a meatless baked ziti recipe.  But with all the mozzarella and ricotta you will hardly notice the meat is missing!

    If you desire a recipe with a meat sauce, check out our pasta al forno recipe.  It's similar but uses a hearty beef and pork ragu and is a heavier dish than this one. 

    Alternatively, you could use our classic Italian meatballs recipe and break them up into pieces and add to the sauce. 

    The variations are really endless and you can certainly experiment and add additional ingredients, like roasted eggplant or zucchini, fontina cheese, or chopped spinach.

    For this recipe, you will need plum tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and onion for the sauce. 

    Already have the sauce made?  Then, you'll only need ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese, and ziti or any similar shaped pasta. 

    We used pennoni.  Rigatoni and penne would be perfect as well.

    Ingredients shown: Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, ricotta cheese, pasta, and a pot of sauce.

     

    How to make it

    Note: The instructions start with the sauce already made.  Use our low and slow-cooked Sunday sauce recipe or a quick marinara (recipe provided below in recipe card).  If you're really in a rush, you could use jarred sauce.  We will usually save left-over sauce and freeze it just for nights when we feel like a little baked ziti!

    1. Grate about ⅓ of the mozzarella block for the top and cube the rest for the layers.
    2. Cook pasta to very 'al dente' (about 2 minutes less than package instructions) and toss with about 2-3 cups of the sauce.

    Baked ziti recipe process shot collage.

    1. Mix the ricotta with the pasta and sauce.  Coat a large baking dish ( 4-5 quart is a perfect size) with a layer of sauce.  Add some of the mixed pasta and layer the mozzarella cubes on top of it.  Sprinkle some of the Pecorino Romano on top and a bit more sauce.  Repeat process for 2 more layers.  On the top add a bit more sauce and the grated mozzarella and more Pecorino Romano cheese.
    2. Bake at 375-400f for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese is bubbling.

    Overhead view of finished baked ziti in oval bowl.

    Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes uncovered to firm up a bit. 

    Serve baked ziti with a nice veggie side like Italian green beans.   Garlicky Italian broccoli or sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic and oil would also be perfect side dishes.

    Substitutions and additions

    • meat - Ground sausage removed from its casing can be added to the sauce for a nice kick.  And as mentioned above, beef and pork can easily be added to the sauce for a heartier dish.
    • cheeses - Pecorino Romano was used but Parmigiano Reggiano can be substituted.  That's a personal preference.  Ricotta is hard to substitute.  I've seen some info recommending cottage cheese, yogurt, or cream cheese.  Of the 3, cottage cheese is the closest but will lack the delicious creaminess of the ricotta.  For the mozzarella, feel free to substitute fresh mozzarella, but realize that it won't melt quite as well.  For baked ziti, good old Polly-O brand block mozzarella is really hard to beat!
    • pasta - Any tubular pasta works well.  Penne, rigatoni, casarecce, and tortiglioni are all great for this dish.
    • eggplant - Roasted eggplant pieces mixed in with the cubes of mozzarella are absolutely amazing in this recipe.  For another great eggplant recipe check out this rigatoni alla Norma recipe.

    Baked pasta dish on table with steam rising from it.

    Top tips

    • Undercook the pasta!  Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 30 minutes, so aim for 'al dente' or even a bit firmer.  About 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
    • Put a nice layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to avoid sticking.
    • Add the pasta in layers with the cubes of mozzarella cheese distributed randomly.  This gives a better texture to the dish with a bigger bite of cheese in one spot than the other.  It's not required, but a nice touch.
    • Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.  If you desire, broil the top for 1-2 minutes to crisp it up right before serving, but watch carefully to avoid burning.  

    Leftovers

    Baked ziti is one of the best dishes to make ahead.  To reheat an already made batch just use the microwave. 

    For an uncooked frozen batch, just bake the whole frozen prepared ziti in the oven at 375-400f until completely cooked through.  This takes around 60-90 minutes but just check to make sure it's warmed all the way through.

    Pinterest image.

    More baked pasta

    • Creamy baked macaroni and cheese - The classic comfort food dish with a delicious panko topping.
    • Baked penne with Italian sausage - Penne with mozzarella, ricotta, Romano, and an easy sausage-tomato sauce.
    • Spinach lasagna rolls with white sauce - Ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach with a bechamel sauce.
    • Baked butternut squash pasta - Roasted squash and sage with penne, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
    • Classic Italian-American lasagna - Layers of noodles, herbed ricotta, and hearty meat ragu.
    • Creamy mushroom pasta bake - Fontina cheese, roasted mushrooms, spinach, thyme, ricotta, and just a hint of nutmeg.
    • Stuffed shells with meat sauce - Spinach and ricotta nestled into shells and baked in a red sauce.
    • Four cheese baked manicotti - Four kinds of cheese with meat sauce for the ultimate comfort food dish.

    If you’ve enjoyed this meatless baked ziti recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and leave a review.

    Some people learn by watching.  If you're that type of person, you can find most of our recipes on YouTube and our Facebook Page.

    Baked ziti featured image.

    Meatless Baked Ziti

    5 from 3 votes
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings: 6
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: James

    Ingredients

    For the sauce

    • 2 28 ounce canned plum tomatoes blender pulsed
    • 3 ounces tomato paste
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • salt to taste
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ cup olive oil

    For the baked ziti

    • 1 pound ziti
    • 1 pound block whole milk mozzarella ⅔ cubed, ⅓ grated
    • 1 pound ricotta
    • ½ cup Pecorino Romano grated

    Instructions

    For the sauce

    • Saute onion for 3-5 minutes in olive oil on medium-low heat in a large pot until soft. Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more until fragrant.
    • Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring with a spoon. Add the plum tomatoes and season with pepper.
    • Cook for 15 minutes uncovered, stirring frequently to avoid any sticking. After 15 minutes, taste-test the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if required.
    • Keep the sauce warm and set aside.

    For the baked ziti

    • Preheat oven to 375f. Boil pasta to 1-2 minutes less than package instructions.
    • In a large bowl mix pasta with 2-3 cups of sauce and 1 pound of ricotta cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy.
    • Coat a 4-5 quart baking dish with a thin layer of sauce. Add ⅓ of the pasta. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cubed mozzarella, ⅓ of the grated Pecorino Romano and a bit more sauce on top. Repeat for another 2 layers.
    • On the top layer add a bit more sauce, the shredded mozzarella, and the remaining Pecorino Romano cheese.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly brown. If a more crispy top is desired, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch carefully to avoid burning.
    • Remove from oven and let baked ziti sit for 5-10 minutes to settle. Serve with remaining sauce on the side, more grated cheese, and Italian bread. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Undercook the pasta!  Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 30 minutes, so shoot for 'al dente' or even a bit firmer.  About 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
    • Put a nice layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to avoid sticking.
    • Add the pasta in layers with the cubes of mozzarella cheese distributed randomly.  This gives a better texture to the dish with a bigger bite of cheese in one spot than the other.  It's not required but a nice touch.
    • Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.  If you want, broil the top for 1-2 minutes to crisp it up right before serving, but watch carefully to avoid burning.  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 751kcal | Carbohydrates: 71.9g | Protein: 40.3g | Fat: 35.3g | Saturated Fat: 17.8g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 826mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 12.6g | Calcium: 618mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe? Mention @sipandfeast or tag #sipandfeast
    « Authentic Italian Meatballs And Sunday Sauce Recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna Tevald

      October 10, 2021 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      You cook so much like my family, Can you make Italian wedding soup.

      Reply
      • Jim

        October 10, 2021 at 9:16 pm

        Hey thanks! Here is Italian wedding soup: https://www.sipandfeast.com/italian-wedding-soup/

        Reply
    2. Linda

      October 10, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      Just found this video ,brings me back home to Brooklyn NewYork at Italian grandmas house and my moms .

      Reply
      • Jim

        October 10, 2021 at 9:17 pm

        Thanks! Glad I can bring you back. Most of my recipes focus on the food native New Yorkers will know and love.

        Reply
    3. Nancy Forman

      January 15, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      This this the 3rd recipe of yours that I have made, I really appreciate how you present the ingredients and so easy to follow, even when it's not exact. This dish was definitely the easiest to follow and it came out perfect, served with some warm Italian bread and a nice big salad.

      Reply
      • Jim

        January 16, 2022 at 9:51 am

        Hi Nancy. Really glad you enjoyed it and I hope my winning streak continues, lol.

        Reply
    4. Cindy Silver

      February 10, 2022 at 12:36 am

      5 stars
      Such a great recipe, one of my favorite's.

      Reply
      • Jim

        February 13, 2022 at 8:25 am

        Thanks very much, Cindy!

        Reply
    5. Ricki Forman

      March 04, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      Every recipe of yours that I’ve tried has been yummy! So easy to follow . Brings me back to my New York days. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 05, 2022 at 10:54 am

        Hi Ricki. Glad you're enjoying all the recipes. Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    6. Tina Silenzi

      March 13, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Every recipe I have made, and there have been many, is delicious and easy to follow with ingredients easy to find. My mother, now 91, learned similar recipes from her mother born in Italy, but never wrote them down. Now I feel like I can duplicate them perfectly! They lived in South Philadelphia!!

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 15, 2022 at 1:09 pm

        Hey Tina. I'm glad you're enjoying all the recipes. I try to make and share the recipes that people from the east coast will know and love. Thanks for letting me know that I'm moving in the right direction!

        Reply

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    About Jim

    Welcome! I'm Jim and I'm here to help you make awesome Italian food that you would normally enjoy at some of your favorite New York style Italian restaurants. While my recipes are typically Italian, you'll find some other great ones as well. Take a look around, and get cooking!

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