Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
This amazing baked ziti recipe is lightened up with roasted vegetables. Golden mozzarella, sizzling red sauce and pasta make this vegetarian ziti delicious!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
696Comments
Jump to recipe
Here she is, the lightened-up baked ziti of my dreams. This baked ziti has all of lasagna’s saucy, mozzarella-topped appeal, but is easier to pull off on a regular weeknight. Amen.
When I dreamed up this recipe, I wanted to replace some of the pasta with roasted vegetables. In the end, I was able to displace half of the ziti (8 ounces) with two pounds (32 ounces!) of vegetables.
I chose cauliflower, which develops the most irresistible golden edges as it roasts, red bell pepper and yellow onion. I love this combination, but you could easily use your favorite vegetables here.
It took me a while to find the perfect ratio of mozzarella, marinara, and ricotta (I actually used cottage cheese, more on that in a bit). I believe I’ve hit the nail on the head with the final recipe, and can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you.
The Best Baked Ziti
This baked ziti recipe is so versatile. Here are a few more reasons to love it:
- This vegetarian baked ziti will satisfy everyone. True, it’s meatless, but carnivores love ziti without the meat when it tastes this good.
- This baked ziti would be a great option for a date night or casual entertaining. You’ll have plenty of time between steps to chat and sip wine.
- It’s a quiet recipe to make, too. You don’t have to sauté anything! I feel like this is an underrated recipe quality.
- This ziti can be assembled up to 3 days in advance, so this is a perfect dish to make ahead or bring to a friend who could use a good meal.
- This lightened-up classic Italian dish is surprisingly high in protein. Each serving offers twenty grams!
- This ziti would be awesome with my chopped Italian salad. Feel free to make a simplified version of it.
Watch How to Make Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti Ingredient Notes
This recipe doesn’t require a long list of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
Pasta
Preferably ziti, but rigatoni or penne will also work. I usually opt for whole wheat noodles (love DeLallo and Bionaturae), but those have been harder to come by lately, so I used Whole Foods’ organic ziti for these pictures. Pasta is generally sold in one-pound boxes so you’ll need half of a box.
I believe you could use a sturdy corn and quinoa pasta blend to make this recipe gluten free.
Marinara
I’m a huge fan of my homemade marinara recipe, but since this recipe is supposed to be simple, I opted for a jarred option from the store. My favorite brand is Rao’s, which tastes pretty close to my homemade sauce. If you do want to make homemade marinara, you’ll need to double my recipe to yield the four cups you’ll need for this ziti.
Vegetables
I used cauliflower, bell pepper and onion. If you’re sensitive to onions, you might want to swap the onion for something else (maybe a sweet potato?).
You can use up your leftover vegetables in this ziti recipe. You’ll need about two pounds prepared vegetables to make it work. Keep in mind that heads of broccoli or cauliflower weigh twice as much as they yield in florets (so a two-pound bunch of broccoli will yield about one pound of florets).
Fresh Basil
Now, you could skip the basil, but it adds a lot of irresistible fresh flavor to jarred marinara, and livens up the cheesy finished dish. In my opinion, it is worth buying!
Mozzarella
Part-skim mozzarella is ideal here, since it develops a beautiful golden shade in the oven. It also makes your finished dish less greasy than it would be if you used full-fat mozzarella.
It’s best to grate your cheese yourself, rather than to buy the pre-shredded kind (you’ll also save money this way). Pre-grated cheese is typically coated in starch or powder that can inhibit its melty factor.
Cottage Cheese (or Ricotta)
Scandalous, I know! I genuinely prefer cottage cheese to ricotta here, even though I can’t stand cottage cheese on its own. Ricotta tends to get gummy when heated, which bothers me, whereas cottage cheese turns magically more creamy and delicious. Use whichever one you prefer in lasagna recipes.
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
Use half-sheet pans. If only everyone owned these basic half-sheet pans (affiliate link). They offer a lot of surface area, so your vegetables have some breathing room while they roast.
Be sure to use a big baker. You’ll need a three quart baker (think 9×13″ with deep sides) for this one. Here’s mine. To err on the side of caution against overflow, I’ve instructed you to place the baker on a clean rimmed baking sheet when it’s in the oven.
Don’t overcook your pasta. In fact, you want it a little bit undercooked, so cook it for the shortest amount of time offered on the package. It should still have a little bite to it when you drain it, since it will continue to cook while it’s in the oven.
Please let me know how this baked ziti recipe turns out for you in the comments! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Craving more Italian comfort food? Don’t miss these recipes on Cookie and Kate:
- Best Vegetable Lasagna
- Baked Ziti with Lentils
- Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils and Marinara Sauce
- Classic Minestrone Soup
Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
This amazing baked ziti recipe is lightened up with roasted vegetables. Golden mozzarella, sizzling red sauce and tender pasta make this vegetarian ziti super delicious! Recipe yields 8 servings.
Ingredients
Roasted veggies
-
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
-
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″ squares
-
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about ½″ wide
-
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
-
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
Pasta and everything else
-
8 ounces ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta
-
4 cups (32 ounces) marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought), divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
-
8 ounces (2 packed cups) grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
-
2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, divided
Instructions
-
To roast the veggies: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
-
Place the cauliflower florets on one pan. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Sprinkle the salt over the two pans. Gently toss until the vegetables on each pan are lightly coated in oil.
-
Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping their rack positions halfway (lower rack to upper rack, and vice versa). Leave the oven on at 425, because we’re going to bake the dish at the same temperature. If you end up with any stray burnt onion pieces, discard them, and set the vegetables aside.
-
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente, according to package directions (it will continue to cook while it bakes in the oven, so you want the pasta to still have a little bite to it). Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- Add 2 cups of the marinara, the chopped basil, and ½ cup of the mozzarella to the pasta. Gently stir to combine.
- It’s assembly time! Spread 1 cup of additional marinara sauce inside a 9×13″ baker. Top with half of the pasta mixture, and gently spread it into an even layer. Evenly sprinkle the roasted cauliflower on top, then dollop 1 cup of the cottage cheese over the cauliflower (it doesn’t need to be spread into an even layer), followed by ½ cup of the mozzarella.
- Top the mozzarella with the remaining pasta. Then sprinkle the roasted peppers and onion on top, dollop the remaining cup of ricotta on top, then dollop the remaining cup of marinara on that, then sprinkle the remaining cheese all over.
-
Place a clean, rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drippings. Place the ziti, uncovered, on top of the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to the upper rack for 2 to 5 more minutes until the cheese is deeply golden, if desired.
-
Remove the baker from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving (trust me). Sprinkle freshly torn basil on top, slice with a sharp knife, and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my lentil baked ziti and Allison Roman’s baked ziti.
Make it gluten free: Substitute sturdy gluten-free pasta (such as a corn and quinoa blend).
Advance preparation: You could roast the vegetables up to 3 days in advance. You can also go ahead and assemble the whole thing and refrigerate until baking. It’s probably a good candidate for freezing before baking, too. Please let me know if you try.
Dairy free/vegan note: I’m not sure if this recipe is a good candidate to make vegan, since the cheese offers both volume and structure. My best guess would be to double the recipe for my vegan sour cream (also available in my cookbook, page 217) and use 2 cups instead of the cottage cheese. Omit the mozzarella and use all of the tomato sauce for the final layer. Serve the lasagna with a dollop of additional sour cream on top or, better yet, basil pesto.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Loved the vegetable ziti. I made it without the cottage cheese and loved it. Igor me I would have added garlic.
Thank you. DELICIOUS!
I’m glad you loved it, Teresa! I appreciate your review.
I was saving this recipe for when I had my “red sauce” craving since I really do not eat a lot of sauce due to my acid reflux. However, I made this absolutely delicious ziti version with roasted veggies. Wow! I followed your recipe pretty much to a tee, but I did add some roasted broccoli to the mix, I never had used cottage cheese, but I have to agree, it was superb, and so nice and creamy. I ate a huge portion tonight and will eat over the next day or two. I definitely will freeze a portion or two for my next craving. It is easier than lasagna and I added a lot of fresh chopped basil and some oregano on the top. This is a keeper!
Thank you for sharing, Karen!
This is the third time I’ve made this dish. Since it’s just myself, I freeze half in individual servings for lunches later on. I absolutely love it!
Great to hear, Sonja!
Chef! Genius! Artist! Master!
Words cannot describe how heavenly this recipe tastes! I want to thank you as fervently as can be expressed in a mere comment. I have had textural and taste sensitivity my whole life, and finding a way to make myself eat vegetables has been a lifelong challenge. You have managed to make a recipe that makes eating an entire meal largely made of red capsicum and cauliflower – two vegetables I usually have trouble with – into an incredible joy instead of a reluctant chore. I sincerely thank you!
You are so kind, Sandra! I appreciate your review.
Did this tonight for my family and “it’s a great one to add into the rotation” as my husband would put it. Even my 2 year old ate his entire bowl with the veggies and loved it! After you do it one time, you get the idea and it’s actually quite easy.
That’s great to hear, Kennedy! I appreciate your review.
This was delicious! The roasted veggies really take it to another level! Thanks!
Thank you for sharing, SJ!
I’ve been making this dish regularly and always love it. I want to give it to a sick family member assembled but not baked yet. Can someone please tell me how long to cook it when it’s coming out of the refrigerator? I want to include instructions for them. Thanks in advance!
I haven’t tried to bake later. Start with the recommended time and temperature, then adjust as you need.
I’ve made this recipe many times over the last few years and everyone loves it! Now I would like to make two pans of this next week and I’d like to know whether I can freeze it before or after baking it.
Delicious, thank you. Marinara sauce isn’t readily available in Australia so I made my own and mozarella is very expensive so I just used standard block cheese. I was able to prep the sauce and roasted veg the day before assembling it. My six and four year old daughters loved it, thanks again!
Great to hear, Sarah!
Hi Kate,
I’ve made this dish a number of times and it’s absolutely wonderful! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Sonja!
I’ve made this a bunch of time so had to comment. LOVE this recipe and have shared with a bunch of people. Greater than the sum of its parts. FWIW, I think the basil is a must and we really prefer it with cottage cheese over ricotta (maybe the added texture is good?)
We use Rao’s marinara or tomato basil for the sauce to save time and it’s delicious.
My family loved it! I used noodles made from chickpeas which worked great. We will be making this again! I didn’t get to take a photo. Everyone wanted to eat! Thank you! It was great to find a meatless recipe that the carnivores in my family approved of.
Great to hear, Sue!
Delicious. Your recipes never fail me. Made with ricotta, jovial gluten free penne, and a 28 oz jar of Rao’s. I didn’t feel notice it was short on sauce at all.
Looking forward to making this. I love baked ziti, funny I make veggie lasagne all the time but never thought about adding veggies to my ziti. Will do that now.
I have been using your cookbook for over a year now. I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy the recipes. Thanks, keep them coming!!! Enjoy Life!
We really enjoyed this recipe and it was easy to prepare, making it in steps. I added yellow and green zucchini for both the color and variety of veggies . I also made it gluten free and it was enjoyed by the entire family, including non gf members.
Thanks for the notes about roasting veggies ahead. It made the assembly on the day I served it so easy!
Definitely a repeat!
That’s great to hear, Joanne! I appreciate your review.
Delicious! My whole family loved it, even my picky toddler and my husband who thinks all meals must have meat! I made it in advance and just reheated before serving and it turned out perfectly.
I have never left a rating on a recipe before but I just have to tell you that this is the best ziti I have ever made. I used Jovial Gluten Free Penne and part skim ricotta and mozzarella cheese. I followed the recipe and was so pleased with the result. Thank you so much for sharing!!
You’re welcome, Patricia!
We have made the Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables a number of times. Tonight I made it with chickpea pasta. It was just as good as with regular pasta. It always makes a lot… great for leftovers.
Thanks for the great recipe!
I have several food allergies so it was a challenge to make this. I substituted the marinara sauce (I can’t eat tomatoes) with white sauce. I am also allergic to the protein in dairy so I substituted Vegan Mozzarella for the regular dairy one and Tofutti Sour Cream for the ricotta cheese.
Even with these subs, the recipe was delicious!
Great recipe!
I was planning to cook this when a neighbour mentioned she was cooking Ziti which I found a strange coincidence. She is Greek and would have done the traditional meat version. I dared not mention that I would mess with tradition and go vegetarian. Anyway mine turned out so delicious and healthy to boot. Cottage cheese to replace ricotta is genius. Thanks for a great recipe
You’re welcome, Annie! I appreciate your review.
Clearly I’m in the minority, but I was not a fan of this dish. I love roasted veggies, baked pasta, cheese and tomato sauce, but when combined it felt as though all the flavors competed. If I were to make it again, I would mix the pasta and veggies together with a bit of olive oil and Parmesan cheese. And, when I want baked pasta make my mom’s lasagna recipe.
I’m sorry to hear you that, Rebecca. I appreciate your feedback.
It says 8 oz ziti for 8 servings? I’m confused… how could a serving have only 1 oz if pasta?
Hi Leah, the vegetables and cheese help to make up some of the “bulk.” Does that help?
Delicious. Made this for some vegetarian friends and they loved it. Has anyone ever made with with a Pesto sauce instead of a marinara? I wanted to change it up a bit. Thoughts?
I made this tonight minus the onions which my husband is not a fan of. It was delicious and Kate has converted me to using cottage cheese in place of ricotta for this type of dish. It was a hit including the Italian chopped salad which was the side dish.
Thank you for sharing, Jennifer!
Use CHAO way better melt!
Could I premake this and freeze it for later?
Hi Cassie, I believe others have and didn’t mind the results. I haven’t myself. I would suggest seeing what others have suggested in the comments.
I liked this a lot, and so did my family. Perfect for a snowy evening. Will keep the recipe & make again.
I sauteed some mushrooms with garlic and italian seasoning and added that to the pasta mixture (I know the point of the recipe is you don’t have to saute anything, but I figured why not)–I thought this added some good flavor and texture.
I cooked the pasta 2 minutes less than the package recommended–next time I’ll cook it even less so it’s closer to al dente in the finished dish.
I also used less cheese–maybe 3/4 cup overall, just because that is my preference.
Great to hear, Lucy!
Hi Kate!
I made this and it is SO delicious! and I have more than enough to freeze for future dinners – or lunch. Thank you for sharing! :-)
You’re welcome, Irma!
My whole family loved this including kids who are not a big fan of bell peppers.
Fabulous recipe for my vegetarian daughter in law and husband. I used spicy arribata marinara sauce, ricotta, and added a zucchini. So easy to do in advance. Everyone loved it.
This was great! Next time I’ll use cabbage to replace the noodles (I only used 4oz and didn’t need it.) Used Carrots, Zucchini, Red Peppers, & Mushrooms as well.
This recipe was DELICIOUS!!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
Is there a calorie count/calorie breakdown accessible anywhere? Thank you!
I’m excited you loved it, Britney! The nutritional information is below the notes section of the blog.
Fabulous! This will be my second time making this for my 8 person family. I added an orange bell pepper, a zucchini, and yellow squash to roasting pan. I used ricotta–can’t stand cottage cheese. I used Rao basil and tomato pasta sauce. Love that I can do it a day ahead of time for a stress-free dinner. Thanks for sharing! -From Denver, CO
You’re welcome, Erin! I appreciate your review.
I was recently told to increase my veggie intake. I wasn’t sure about the cauliflower, but I do love ziti…so I tried it. This recipe turned out AMAZING! The taste of the cauliflower was very subtle after the roasting, and the cottage cheese does feel lighter than ricotta would – but you really don’t notice because the taste of this ziti is wonderful. Thank you for posting this recipe, Kate!
The first couple of times I made this I used ricotta cheese. After trying cottage cheese (less fat and calories), I won’t go back. It tastes better and gives a nice texture. I’ve made this recipe many times. This is a go to when having guests. It’s always delicious. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Margaret!
What I hate about most baked ziti is that it gets dried out and the sauce seems to disappear in the oven. This recipe is delightfully saucy and delicious! I used the cottage cheese and the homemade sauce recipe (doubled), and I used all the sauce. I don’t know if it’s the sauce or the veggies (I love sneaking in veggies) that keep the ziti so moist, but it’s definitely a keeper! I think I ate most of the pan all by myself! Thanks Kate!
This recipe is great and loved by family & friends. It’s the go-to meal that my husband is always asking for. I now double the recipe so I have some in the freezer. Thanks for offering so many great and healthy recipes.
You’re welcome, Kathleen!