Looking for a creamy, cheesy meatless baked ziti recipe to effortlessly to throw together? Baked ziti with ricotta and mozzarella uses only six ingredients, is freezer-friendly, and easily adapts into a gluten-free baked pasta as well!
why you’re going to love this recipe!
Baked meatless ziti has been served at family dinners, parties, and holidays on endless occasions. Guests love the comforting baked pasta layered with sauce and mozzarella, while it is a breeze to make!
- Meatless baked ziti is vegetarian and appeals to all eaters – kids and adults!
- It’s versatile! Try different cheeses, add browned Italian sausage or ground beef, or saute veggies to make this a vegetarian dream meal.
- Need a gluten-free baked pasta recipe? Simply follow the adaptation and tips for swapping out gluten-free pasta instead.
- Baked ziti with ricotta is also make-ahead and freezer-friendly, perfect for meal prep or entertaining!
Ingredients notes
Just like my easy baked pasta recipe, this dish combines ricotta and mozzarella with jarred marinara sauce for ease. Feel free to go the extra mile and make a homemade sauce instead!
Pasta – Ziti is the most popular, but mostaccioli, rigatoni, cavatappi, or penne may be substituted.
Marinara – The recipe uses one 24 ounce jar of marinara, or substitute 3 cups homemade.
Cheese – A combination of mozzarella and parmesan is used, but provolone, gouda, or monterey jack may be substituted
Ricotta – For richer flavor use whole-milk ricotta cheese.
How to make Meatless baked ziti
(Note: This is a step-by-step tutorial with pictures. For more specific instructions, along with ingredient amounts, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- First boil the pasta. Since the ziti will be baked after, I boil to a minute or two under al dente. This prevents the pasta from becoming overcooked and mushy, which is particularly helpful if you are freezing the dish. For gluten-free baked ziti, see the adaptations below.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the ricotta mozzarella filling. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then stir in the ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan.
- Now it’s time to start layering the casserole. Spread a little bit of marinara on the bottom of a 9X13 dish. Add half the pasta, all the ricotta mozzarella filling, a heaping cup of sauce, then repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, and finish with more mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 350ºF, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbly and hot throughout, and the cheese is melted on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Gluten-Free baked pasta
Although it seems simple to just swap out the ziti for gluten-free penne, there are a few important tips to remember! For another gluten-free comfort meal, try the best gluten-free lasagna or gluten-free pizza crust!
- The recipe calls for 16 ounces dried pasta, but GF pasta is generally sold in 12 ounce boxes. Therefore, use one 12 ounce box, plus about 1 1/3 cup additional dried penne to equal 16 ounces.
- When boiling GF pasta, do not add salt. I find the GF starches absorb salt more than regular pasta, overly salting the dish.
- The most important tip is adjusting the boiling time. GF pasta has a tendency to become mushy, or break apart. Therefore, when initially boiling only cook for half the time called for al dente. For example, if the box says to boil 10 minutes for al dente, cook for 5 minutes. After draining, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking before assembling. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Make-ahead / freezer instructions
To make meatless baked ziti ahead of time, assemble the casserole as directed, but do not bake. Make sure the dish has completely cooled first, then cover securely with plastic wrap. Add an additional layer of foil on top, and freeze up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then set out at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Bake as directed, adding additional time as necessary, depending on how chilled the dish was. If the top becomes overly cooked before the middle is hot, tent a piece of foil over the top.
This recipe may also be assembled up to 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake. For best results, set out at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There are many substitutes for ziti pasta, such as mostaccioli, rigatoni, cavatappi, or penne. This comes in handy if making gluten-free baked pasta, since GF pasta shapes are more limited.
No. You can replace the fresh parmesan with more mozzarella cheese. I like the depth of flavor and saltiness it adds to the ricotta filling, though.
Yes. For meal-prep you may double the recipe, freezing one for later. Alternatively, divide the recipe between two 8X8 baking dishes, enjoying one now and freezing the other for another dinner. If halving the recipe, bake in a 2-quart (8X8 inch) dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Yes! Either brown one pound bulk Italian sausage, ground beef, or saute veggies (such as chopped zucchini, eggplant, peppers) before assembling. Layer the meat or veggies on top of the ricotta filling before finishing the layers as directed.
Finding the best sides to go with ziti can be tricky since it’s a filling dish, like lasagna. Therefore, I wrote a complete guide for what to serve with lasagna, with recipes, tips for serving, and the best side dishes.
For leftovers, it’s best for them to come to room temperature first before reheating. This will mean less time in the oven and moisture loss. Cover with foil and reheat in a 350ºF oven for 20-30 minutes. For more tips, see this helpful how to reheat a casserole in the oven article!
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
More easy casserole recipes
- Walking Taco Casserole
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
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Meatless Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 16 ounces box ziti, see recipe notes for substituting gluten-free pasta
- 2 large eggs
- 15 ounce whole-milk ricotta
- 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 24 ounces jar marinara sauce (or 3 cups homemade), divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water (omit salt for gluten-free pasta) to a boil. Cook the pasta to one minute less than called for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the ricotta filling. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then stir in the ricotta, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, and parmesan until well combined.
- Spread about 1/4 cup marinara on the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Add half the pasta, top with all the ricotta mozzarella filling, then spread on a heaping cup of marinara. Top with the remaining pasta, marinara, and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbly and hot throughout, and the cheese is melted on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Gluten-Free adaptations
- The recipe calls for 16 ounces dried pasta, but GF pasta is generally sold in 12 ounce boxes. Therefore, use one 12 ounce box, plus about 1 1/3 cup additional dried penne to equal 16 ounces.
- When boiling GF pasta, do not add salt. I find the GF starches absorb salt more than regular pasta, overly salting the dish.
- The most important tip is adjusting the boiling time. GF pasta has a tendency to become mushy, or break apart. Therefore, when initially boiling only cook for half the time called for al dente. For example, if the box says to boil 10 minutes for al dente, cook for 5 minutes. After draining, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking before assembling. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Make-ahead / freezer instructions
To make ahead of time, assemble the casserole as directed, but do not bake. Make sure the dish has completely cooled first, then cover securely with plastic wrap. Add an additional layer of foil on top, and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then set out at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Bake as directed, adding additional time as necessary, depending on how chilled the dish was. If the top becomes overly cooked before the middle is hot, tent a piece of foil over the top. This recipe may also be assembled up to 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake. For best results, set out at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.Doubling / Halving the Recipe
For meal-prep you may double the recipe, freezing one for later. Alternatively, divide the recipe between two 8X8 baking dishes, enjoying one now and freezing the other for another dinner. If halving the recipe, bake in a 2-quart (8X8 inch) dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes.Adding meat or veggies
Nutrition
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Maria says
Just prepared for my family. And it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Melissa Erdelac says
I appreciate it, Maria! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa