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 a lot of the pasta with roasted vegetables. In the end, I was able to displace half of the ziti (8 ounces) with two pounds (!) 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
I’ve already mention that this ziti will work on a weeknight, but it’s more versatile than that. Here are a few more reasons to love it:
- 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 vegetable-heavy 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.
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
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
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.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Marie
Hi I just had a question…I was trying to click on doubling the on the x2 scale you provided for doubling the vegetable ziti..but it’s only changing the doubling on the ingredient for basil. Is that a glitch? Or is that the only thing to double? Sorry I was wondering since I’m new for making this type of dish.
Kate
Hi Marie! I will check what is going on. You will want to double everything. Be sure to use a big enough pan or separate it into two.
Mike
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times. I use 16 oz of pasta however.
My family loves all your recipes that I make.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Mike!
Sharon Vigorito
I’m anxious to try this, but have to ask a question. I have a lot going of food challenges and can not tolerate cauliflower. Any suggestions for a substitute? And, by the way, I use cottage cheese (lactose free) in my lasagna all the time.
★★★★★
shannon w mccarthy
I make something very similar to this recipe and just use whatever veggies I have (squash, zucchini, eggplant, spinach). I have even ordered stuffed veggie pizza and the crust was awful so I scraped the ricotta, meat and veggies out and used that.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Sharon! You could try broccoli or any other vegetable you like. I hope you like it!
tara
Help!!!
I made the zita a day ahead so I could cook it up tomorrow & I’ve just discovered I’ve left half the cauliflower in the fridge, rather than in the zita where it belongs!!
Obviously I cant disassemble the entire thing to add the missing cauliflower, but is there anyway I can add it into the mix, either before I bake it, tomorrow or after I take it out of the oven???
Kate
Did you already roast the cauliflower? Try mixing it in when you serve.
Eva
I made this last night and, while I have never been a super fan of marinara sauce (much to the dismay of my Italian grandparents), the addition of roasted veggies certainly elevated the flavors of simple red sauce. I debated adding in the basil, but I went ahead and got it and added it and I was so glad I did. It gave that extra little sweet/savory blend that basil is so good at.
The kids totally loved it, even filled with cauliflower and bell pepper. My husband took leftovers to work.
Next time I think I’ll throw in an extra onion and pepper even.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love it!
Michelle
This dish is amazing! Love the roasted veggies. They make this so much more flavourful than a standard pasta, sauce and cheese recipe. I’ll definitely be putting this into regular dinner rotation.
★★★★★
Cheryl
Thank you Kate for sharing this delicious recipe. I made it using broccoli instead of cauliflower, and it turned out great. I also didn’t use as many vegetables, and a little more pasta, and it still turned out very well.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Cheryl!
Jessica
Kate — your recipes are always so delicious, and this was no exception!! We made this tonight and loved that we got some veggies in our toddler. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Jessica!
Wendy Josset
Was excited to try a vegetarian ziti recipe. However, this recipe was quite disappointing. Too much sauce and very bland. Perhaps could use more vegetables or a different blend of cheeses. I won’t make this again.
★★
Teddie
Ina Garten has something similar but LOTS more work and cheese. She uses eggplant and zucchini. Going to try that as I love roasted eggplant. This sounds delicious. I don’t normally use jar sauce but found one I love. San Marzano Marinara Oreganata. It says The Silver Plate at the top. It has imported San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Wendy. You would always use your favorite sauce here and add different vegetables.
Zoe
We had this recipe just tonight and wow! It was absolutely wonderful! The perfect balance of cheese, sauce, and vegetables. Thank you so very much, we will be sure to try many more of your amazing recipes in the future!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Zoe! Thank you for your review.
Michelle Vietti
I really like the recipe. I added cooked organic brown turkey and mix with ziti. It was a hit at my company potluck and at home. Thank you.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks or sharing, Michelle.
Vicki
I used this recipe as a base for creating a vegetarian pasta dish and I loosely followed it. I used a jar of traditional Ragu and 1 small can of tomato paste for the sauce. I went with the low-fat cottage cheese and have to agree with this recipe author, it’s better than ricotta and nobody could believe it was cottage cheese. For veggies, I used sauteed onions, portabella mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and fresh basil and oregano from my garden. It was crazy good. My finicky dinner guests loved it, saying it was restaurant quality. And they live in NY so that’s a huge compliment. They asked for the recipe so I guess I have to admit that I didn’t make the sauce from scratch!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy it was able to provide inspiration, Vicki! Thank you for your review.
Kathy E Gallagher
Hi – I’d like to cut this in half to make it as I am the only one to eat it. Do you foresee any problems if I just halve all the ingredients? Thanks!
Kate
That should work just fine!
Janelle
I’ve made it a couple times and made some changes based on our preferences. I double your marinara sauce recipe and use one package noodles (14 oz) and add one pound sausage. I also sub zucchini for the roasted onion and we split it up into two 8×8 pans since we’re a small family. We love this recipe though and it is a wonderful base!! I start the sauce first and it’s finished by assembly time. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing your variation, Janelle!
Janelle
Hi Kate, I did try freezing and cauliflower lost some flavor but it was still good!
★★★★★
Lillian
can I use fresh moz? thank you!
Jenn
Making this for the second time! Trying it with broccoli instead of the cauliflower (my husband can’t stand it ) and throwing in some roasted zucchini that needed using. Also using your marinara recipe this time! So excited to eat this again. Thanks for having so many delicious recipes that I can even get carnivores on board with!
★★★★★
Teresa
I loved this recipe! I folowed the recipe with no changes and it turned out so delicious! I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the cauliflower in this dish. I used the jarred sauce instead of your marinara sauce recipe (which I love and make probably once a week). I like the red pepper flakes in the marinara recipe so I may add a dash of that to the jarred sauce the next time I make this recipe. Thank you for another great one, Kate!
★★★★★
Allison Redepenning
Thought it was bland. The cauliflower and marinara just didn’t have any zip. Hmm. I think I’m spoiled by your homemade sauces and stuff from the jar just can’t compete.
★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Try a different marinara next time or you can add some of your favorite spice. Thanks for your feedback!
Merrily
Hello,
I just discovered your lovely site yesterday and am excited for all the recipes (there are many I want to try right away!). I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! I used ricotta and reduced the amount of both cheeses (used about 3/4 the amount) and used a gluten-free penne. Yum!
★★★★★
Kate
Welcome, Merrily! I’m happy you came across the blog. I’m glad you liked this one!
Mary Gilbert
I made this recipe however chose to add some meatballs on the top for my family of carnivores! Everyone loved it. The roasted veggies (I used three colors of sweet peppers and Vidalia onions) really do add a lively flavor to the dish. And I agree the cottage cheese was a great addition and melted beautifully. I will make this again! Maybe next time I can talk them into the all veggie recipe!
★★★★★
Alison
I make my own ricotta–it’s super easy and the results are far superior to the store bought stuff that’s full of gums (which is why it gets grainy when cooked) and sodium.
★★★★★
Steph
Delicious! I used whole wheat penne and subbed the cauliflower for broccoli. I was worried it wouldn’t be enough pasta but with all the veggies it still felt plenty filling. My toddler and husband both devoured it. It was actually perfect for my 1year old as well (just cut up the noodles a bit.) Leftovers tasted even better! Definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Steph!
Lynn M
I made a double recipe for one of my teenage son’s club meetings. One I made with roasted veggies (Vidalia onion, squash and broccoli). I only had frozen broccoli, so I microwaved for a few minutes, chpped up and roasted with the other veggies. Worked great! The other I used ground sirloin for my meat eaters. This was a huge hit!
★★★★★
Melissa
Hello! This sounds so good – I’m new to trying vegetarian cooking and I love this idea. Have you ever tried this recipe with frozen veggies? I’m curious if those would work as well as fresh, simply because I have trouble finding good, fresh produce. Thanks so much!
Kate
That should work fine. Just thaw them out prior to roasting. Let me know how this works for you!
Kate
Omg, this turned out so well, and even my non-vegetarian friends were raving. I was looking for what was seasonal and cheap at the market, so ended up with red bell pepper, cauliflower and sweet potato. A keeper!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks for your review, Kate.
Shannon Marina Osborne
made it last night for Meat Free Monday with your chopped italian Salad!was a hit with the family!
★★★★★
Sarah
This was so so good! Everyone in my family loved it! I loved all the veggies in it. I mixed a regular marinara with a truffle marinara and it was amazing. I am loving so many of these recipes!
Nancy
Perfect fall recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
Alana
I made this tonight for my 1/2 vegetarian family. It can be difficult to make something that everyone finds satisfying. Everyone liked this. I made it as per the instructions. Because we like to eat fairly early I think I will prepare the roasted vegetables ahead.
I will make this part of my regular rotation.
You are incredibly talented Kate.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Alana!
Shylo
Loved the layers of flavor with this dish! I did purchase low sodium marinara sauce and was concerned about the flavor so I grated a clove of garlic into each of the plain marinara layers. I used whole grain rigatoni. The smokey flavor of the onions and red pepper was my favorite part of this recipe and I think I’d add an additional onion when roasting the peppers/onions just to experiment. It really was good just the way the recipe was written and I will make this again.
★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Shylo!
Natasha
I’m so happy I found this recipe. I’ve made it three times now!
★★★★★
Kate
Love that, Natasha!
Kirsten Ward
I have made this recipe many times when I have friends or family for dinner. It is delicious! Thank you for the great recipes.
Lauren R
I’m going to make this tonight and freeze. Wish me luck!
Kate
Let me know how it freezes for you, Lauren!
Marie Mann
Can this dish be frozen? Thanks,
Kate
Hi Marie! I don’t typically have luck with freezing dishes like this as it tends to get watery when thawed, sorry.
Cheryl
I just made this exactly as created and it’s amazing. I used cottage cheese as I’m not a big fan of ricotta either. I have to say this is truly satisfying and you’re right…the combination of the cauliflower, red pepper and onion are perfect! I am not a vegetarian but purchased your cookbook(and follow your blog) because I knew I needed to get more vegetables in my diet. You’ve made it so easy to do that! I’ve actually limited quite a bit of meat from diet and don’t miss it. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you loved it and got my book, Cheryl.
Aimee Hand
I want to make this but I have frozen cauliflower not fresh. Can I roast thawed cauliflower?
Kate
Yes, that should work too!
Tiana
Your instructions are overwhelming. Perhaps a little less for future
★★★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you find them overwhelming. I have found readers appreciate the detailed instructions to make sure it’s clear on what the recipe calls for. I appreciate your feedback.
christine pohly
Kate I think your instructions are just perfect! My daughter, her resident mate and myself think your recipes are fantastic! I bought your cookbook for Christmas presents this year and think I will splurge and buy one for myself!
Chris
Leslie
Hi Kate (or anyone else who has tried this)! Do you use low-fat cottage cheese or regular, or does it not make a difference?
Cheers!
Leslie
Kate
I prefer regular :) I hope you try it!
Jay Leaver
Hi Kate! – Your site was recommended to me by a nutritionist who knew I am a novice cook with an interest in adding more vegetarian dishes to the family menu. This ziti was the first I made, and granted it’s probably hard to go far wrong with anything including pasta and cheese but this really was delish! Thank you SO much for your blog – I think your site looks amazing and I look forward to browsing through for more recipes. :-)
~Jay (recovering engineer)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so happy you were recommended to the blog and loved it, Jay!
Courtney
This recipe was amazing! I didnt have ricotta so I used a cup of Parmesan instead, and I only had 3 cups of marinara so I added a can of diced tomatoes. My whole family loved this meal, thanks!
★★★★★
Marissa Stewart
I just made this tonight and omgggg it was sooo good! My husband loved it too! For the veggies I used mushrooms, squash, and broccoli, it was amazing, definitely adding this to the monthly rotation!! Love your recipes!
Sue Duronio
Kate, Do you think this would work with a bechamel sauce instead of the marinara? I’d like to try that. Would you change up any of the veggies?
Kate
Hi Sue! I’m not sure without trying it, sorry. I would think it would be an entirely different recipe with the different flavor profiles.
Annie
Hello. I’m planning to make this for holiday festivities. Should I bake it and keep it in the fridge or freezer?
Or should I assemble it, then freeze (or fridge), and then bake when I’m ready to serve?
Corinna Traill
Question – I see it was not answered in a previous poster – if I want to make this in advance, do I make it, freeze and then bake it, or bake it and let it cool, then freeze it?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Corinna, I don’t freeze all my recipes and typically don’t have luck with these type of recipes freezing well. Sorry!
susan
thanks for great ideas. I’m making a meat lasagne and a veg lasagna. I’m going to use your idea of roasted cauliflower, onion and red pepper along with spinach on veg version. did not yet make
★★★★★
Pooja
Made this recipe today and I really loved it! I used broccoli instead of cauliflower, due to personal preference. I also used pesto since I didn’t have fresh basil. The taste was phenomenal.
You have created some truly amazing recipes, Kate! I have been a visitor to your blog for more than a year and I have tried quite a few recipes from here as well as your cookbook. I truly appreciate your efforts!
★★★★★
Kate
I like the changes! Thanks for sharing, Pooja.
Angela Black
re: Making this vegan – A long time ago, I had a lasagna recipe that replaced ricotta with silken tofu. It worked great and might be a good substitute here too. Thanks for all the great recipes. I’m going to make this one soon.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Angela!
Jenny
This was great. For my veggies, I did some orange and red peppers, half an onion, and some sliced mushrooms, seasoned with salt pepper and garlic powder. Added grated parm to the top before baking. I made a half portion and forgot the second layer of cottage cheese and it was still delicious. Very flexible recipe, you could probably do just about any vegetable. Next time I might pull it out of the oven a few minutes earlier. The whole thing had this wonderful smoky quality. Yum yum.
★★★★★
Lois
I have this in the oven right now…a new recipe for New Year’s Eve.
It smells so good…can’t wait to eat it!
Thanks
★★★★★
Charlotte Hicks
I made this dish for our New Year’s day meal today, and it was delicious! I used cauliflower, onions, red bell pepper, and some left over baby spinach as the veggies and it looks just like your pictures. My husband loved it. He has gout and doctors have advised him to stop eating meat to avoid painful flair-ups. I have had him look through your cookbook and asked him to tell me which dishes he would eat- and he said “all of them.” So far, I’ve made at least four of your recipes and they have all been hits with him. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Kathy
I’m going to make this for a dinner party, and I need to add some italian sausage. In which layer would you suggest I incorporate the sausage? Thanks!
Katie
I just found your blog this year and love it. I was inspired by your end-of-the-year list of top recipes in 2019 and decided to look back to prior years. I gave this recipe a try tonight and it was a winner with my family. I made it with cauliflower, red pepper, onions and added mushrooms. As I was roasting veggies I threw in a head of garlic with olive oil and roasted it also, then added some roasted cloves to the ziti. I don’t think I added enough to make a difference ultimately, but I may go for more next time. Regardless, it was delicious and I will make it again!
Kate
I’m so glad you came across the blog this year! Thank you for following along.
Diana
Lovely recipe, husband enthusiastic. Thank you. I made a few mods: used nearly 2 jars of bottled marinara, one spicy, one not (the spicy really added something). Added a chopped zucchini to the onion-pepper mix. Sprinkled a little extra salt and sone shredded parmesan on top at end. Just unusually tasty for a non-meat dish and quite forgiving of mods.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing your variation, Diana.
Diana
…and it freezes well, too! ☺️
Heidi
I made this and it was delicious and super easy. I sautéed some spinach and added that to it and also a clove of garlic. I used part skim ricotta. In my 9×13 deep pan I was able to get 15 pieces for 159 calories a piece.
★★★★★
emily scanlon
Another winner!
I used a combo of veggies I had on hand – onion, red bell pepper, eggplant, cauliflower, carrot (worked surprisingly well!) and baby bell mushrooms. I loved the method you used with the Best Veggie Lasagna to whip up the cottage cheese in a food processor to smooth it out, so I did that here and added most of the basil right in with the cottage cheese — making delicious dollops of herbed cheese.
Thanks for the great recipe :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Amanda Restivo
Simply Delicious! And I mean-this is sooo Simple to make. Have made it twice in the last 60 days. First attempt was at my first soirée in my new home and it was a Big Hit. Accompanied with fresh garlic bread and a light salad. Dessert was a Lemmon Ricotta pound cake…yummy
(As I write this I am finishing a bowl of your totally delicious apple crisp recipe that I’ve made about 20ish times!!)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Amanda!
peggy coniff
I did freeze this and that worked out great!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Peggy! I’m happy it worked for you. Did it seem watery at all when thawed?
Eileen
I tried the vegan option, and it tasted great. The only other change I made was to swap out the cauliflower for zucchini.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Eileen.
Suzanne
I made this for a New Year’s Day gathering with eggplant, red pepper, and parsnip. It was very tasty and popular! The cottage cheese made it so creamy, and pleased my spouse, who doesn’t care door ricotta. I’ll definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Suzanne!
Jessica
Really really good. I added squash and 1/2 an eggplant because I had them.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jessica!
Julie
I made this for a few friends and found it to be a fabulous combination of flavors and textures. It was a hit – they kept going back to the pan for more. I roasted cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, and onions, used gluten free penne, and otherwise followed the recipe, using an organic Trader Joe’s marinara sauce. I loved the flavor of the fresh basil. Delicious! I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I like the combination of vegetables, Julie. Thanks so much for your review.
Anna
This is ridiculously good and no surprise, your recipes have become my go to! Instead of just doing cauliflower I made that pan half cauliflower and half broccoli, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Comfort food I feel good about eating!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Anna!
Dan
I made this for an immediate family gathering. It was good. My frustration with recipe is that it is hard to know from terms like medium onion, medium cauliflower, medium red pepper how much we need for recipe. I wish for more precise measurements in grams or ounces. I probably could have used more cauliflower and red peppers since my idea of medium is probably different from yours. I’ll make recipe again but I will use more veggies next time.
★★★★
Kate
Hi Dan! Thank you for your feedback. I try to provide that when it makes sense. Since some of these inputs can vary so much, I try and keep it to size. I.e. head of cauliflower stalk weight Does that make sense? You could always add more as long as it fits in your casserole dish, if you like!
Elizabeth
Thanks for another amazing recipe. I made it exactly as you suggested, but was bit short on the cauliflower the first time as it was starting to turn. Not to be deterred, I made it a second time (in a week!) and with more cauliflower, and it was even better. On a side note, I used your recipe for marinara sauce (so simple) and might have been a bit short on that with all my “taste testing” – so delicious! The Hubby and 19 year old son both really enjoyed this dinner, too.
★★★★★
Kate
I love it! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Elizabeth. It’s hard to not eat that marinara by the spoonful for sure.
Jamie
I made this for my family and we all loved it. My 1.5 year old was thrilled and my husband kept saying how delicious it was. We’ll definitely be making this one again!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Jamie!
Kate
I’ve made this twice so far to rave reviews, even from meat eaters. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kate!
Lucy
I’ve made this a couple of times now and making it again this week for work lunches. So delicious, reheats perfectly and really well balanced nutritionally! Thanks Kate (and Cookie)! More healthy pasta bake recipes please :)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Lucy!
Kevin
I used lentil based ziti, broccoli, mushrooms, onion and spinach, and extra marinara sauce to make this my own. Love your layering technique. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you found a twist you could enjoy, Kevin.
Elisa
Hi Kate,
Made this last night as directed and it was great! Used Gluten Free Penne and Primo Original Sauce. The extra fresh Basil made the flavours pop.
Enjoy your day!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Elisa!
Dessa Black
My husband and I loved this recipe! I also pan-roasted 8 oz. of sliced cremini mushrooms and added them at the same time with the veggies. All was so good and naturally perfect with a little garlic bread on the side.
Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Dessa!
nicola
What a fun & delicious recipe. Will definitely make again! Thanks for the tip on low moisture mozzarella turning a beautiful brown! Spot on, will use it from now on!
★★★★★
vivian
Even though I screwed this recipe up, it still turned out delicious! I had the veggies roasting and the timer on for when they needed to come out. Then I put the pasta on to cook and made a mental note that it would need to cook five minutes more than the veggies. Then I got distracted by our cat trying to catch squirrels on the deck and the timer went off. I drained the pasta and mixed in sauce, basil and cheese only to realize that what I was supposed to do was take the vegetables out of the oven and cook the pasta five more minutes. I added some more sauce to the pasta and put the casserole together as directed, baked it ten minutes longer than called for and kept my fingers crossed. It was just fine. Thanks for a great, and seemingly foolproof recipe!
★★★★★
Jackie Helm
If I make your recommended marinara sauce, could I use the onion that is removed at the end in place of a roasted onion called for in the recipe? Just don’t want to discard the onion from the sauce and wondering of it could be put to use in the ziti recipe. Thanks!
Kate
You could try it, however it will have a different flavor and texture. Let me know!
Suzanne
Made this for a party last night. Used 500g ziti and pressed cottage cheese. Oh and I also made your marinara sauce for it the night before (doubled as you suggested). Oh boy did everyone love it! Even my husband who is Italian thought I used ricotta . Thank you Kate for another amazing recipe ♥️
★★★★★
Lindsay Abbott
this. was. delicious. and so simple!
★★★★★
Tracy V.
I made your baked ziti with roasted vegetables last week, and it was a winner! My husband kept saying it was so good. I doubled the recipe except for the ricotta cheese. I roasted some baby portobello mushrooms too and added raw spinach to the cauliflower layer before baking, and it was delicious! I have made several of your recipes, and they have all turned out great. Thank you for posting healthy and delicious recipes- please keep them coming!
★★★★★
Lauren
This was an awesome dinner! It felt indulgent but not heavy. My husband is a very picky eater and he loved it!
Another fantastic K+C recipe!
★★★★★
Susan
This was a winner and husband approved!! I used broccoli and Rao’s Arrabbiata sauce for a spicy kick. We loved this recipe.
★★★★★
Jodi Jackson
This is my family’s favorite recipe. We crave it and my kids cheer when I make it. Plus it feeds us for a couple of days which is amazing!
★★★★★
Ruth Cook
I have made this recipe many times and, even with 5 stars, it ranks below the Penang curry recipe—our go-to recipe. At 82 I can no longer this one it in one standing. I roast the vegetables earlier and they sit until later I do to the rest of the recipe. At 92 this does not seem to change his love for it.
Thank you, Kate, for your blog. From French gourmet cooking, through all the steps to now high-plant-based, yours is a go-to for sure.
Thanks, Ruth
★★★★★
Kelly
Mmm, this was just what I needed on a cold night! I have been craving pasta and this was delicious and filling without being heavy. You could easily change up the veggies but this was a good combination. I used cottage cheese and love it in pasta dishes as well. Thank you!
★★★★★
Tae
Made as the main dish hosting dinner with another couple and was really happy with the results.
Made with Fusilli instead of ziti, cottage cheese instead of ricotta , and TJs marinara sauce instead of homemade.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Tae! Thanks for sharing.
Nicole
I made this dish vegan by using Kite Hill ricotta and Follow Your Heart mozzarella shreds. I do think it’s important to spread the ricotta as evenly as possible since there were several bites that were almost entirely ricotta.
I also used sliced mushrooms rather than cauliflower. I pulled the mushrooms out of the oven at the half way marker (i.e. 15 minutes) and they turned out perfectly tender when they were fully baked in the ziti.
I used spicy arrabbiata sauce instead of marinara for an extra bite. I like my dishes spicy so it could’ve even used some red chili pepper flakes, too.
Really solid recipe, easy to prepare (and prepare ahead), and reheats nicely in the microwave.
Thanks, Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
Tanks for sharing your variation, Nicole!
Katie Greenfield
This dish is so unbelievably good. I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before, but felt compelled because it is just that tasty.
I followed the recipe exactly as written and used ricotta. After eating the whole thing in two days, I still want more. Can’t get enough, it is just that tasty
★★★★★
Erika Buchholz
A “quiet” recipe!!! I love that. A total underrated component that we never discuss. Thank you! This will be my go to meal because I can talk on the phone while making it :)
Janell Roy
Question, I have all the ingredients to make this except for the cottage cheese/ricotta as the stores are sold out. Could I use regular sour cream instead? Or am I better off just omitting?
Thanks!
Janell
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Janell! Groceries have been interesting recently, that’s for sure. I would just omit it. Or, you could try to make my cashew cream and try that instead. https://cookieandkate.com/best-vegan-lasagna-recipe It’s great in my vegan lasagna!
Emily
I just made this for my family, and everyone loved it! I personally added broccoli and after the dish was done cooking I drizzled some lime juice over it, and it made it even better! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
★★★★★
STAZA
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Made it yesterday, so good. Just the aroma while it cooks was wonderful in itself.
I eliminated the red pepper, used a really large cauliflower b/c I love cauliflower. The roasted onion was a great addition. Managed to find basil but by time I was cooking, most of it had been left out too long, but recipe was great w/o it.
Only question: what if I leave out the ricotta next time. Loved the flavor but I’m a bit lactose intolerant. In fact, I use cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella, b/c that causes me some problems. The cheddar worked fine.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! Thank you for your comment and review. You can leave it out if you like, although I much prefer it. You may be able to find a lactose free cottage cheese next time.
Sophie
I originally made this recipe a couple months ago using cauliflower, zucchini, whole wheat penne, and Rao’s sauce (a favorite in our household). It was a huge hit. My toddler in particular gobbled it all up.
I made two trays and froze one, and wanted to report back since so many folks asked about whether it was possible to freeze. I did not bake the second tray before putting it in the freezer. Wrapped it well in foil and freezer bags. When I went to bake it yesterday, I put it straight from the freezer into a preheated oven. It took at least twice as long to cook through, about 60-70 minutes covered plus around 10 minutes uncovered at the end to brown the top. Tasted just as delicious as fresh!
★★★★★
Kathy Rouleau
Made this once and definitely will again. Will modify the veggies this time since we’re staying at home and I’ll use what I have, but used cauliflower, red bell, and onion, as you did. I’d never made baked ziti, and this was a great version.
I made a couple modifications because of what I had on hand. Used a 28oz can of plum tomatoes, and since that wasn’t enough liquid (I used 12oz pasta) I added half a jar of classico asiago Romano cheese sauce, and it was perfect. Added a little oregano, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. I always use cottage cheese in lasagna and did here.
I mixed in most of the mozz cubes, used some on top, and added Monterey jack and some cheddar to the top.
I roasted my veggies in a foil lined roasting pan, and just built the mixture in that pan, so I had no cleanup, essentially. Thanks for this. Hope you and yours are well.
★★★★★
Robyn
The flavors are delicious, but the cauliflower turned out a little too soft for me. Next time, I will add double the pepper and broccoli. This is a nice dish for leftovers. Thanks for another lovely recipe!
★★★★