Meatless Baked Ziti

5 from 23 votes

Super hearty and delicious meatless baked ziti with ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

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.

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 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 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!

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.