Meatless Baked Ziti
Super hearty and delicious meatless baked ziti with ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 28-ounce can plum tomatoes blender pulsed
- 1/4 cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60g) tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- salt and pepper to taste
For the baked ziti
- 1 pound (454g) ziti
- 1 pound (454) block whole milk mozzarella 2/3 cubed, 1/3 shredded
- 1 pound (454g) ricotta
- 1/2 cup (45g) Pecorino Romano grated
Instructions
For the sauce
- Heat a large pot to medium-low heat with the olive oil and add the garlic. 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 bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Cook for 15 minutes uncovered at a low simmer, stirring frequently to avoid any sticking. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper as required.
- Keep the sauce warm and set aside.
For the baked ziti
- Preheat oven to 375f. Boil pasta to 2 minutes less than package instructions.
- In a large bowl mix the pasta with 3 cups of sauce and 1 pound of ricotta cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Coat a 9x13 baking dish with a thin layer of sauce. Add 1/3 of the pasta. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cubed mozzarella, 1/3 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 the oven and let the baked ziti sit for at least 10 minutes to settle. Serve with remaining sauce on the side, more grated cheese, and Italian bread. Enjoy!
Video
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
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