This Meatless Baked Ziti is a delicious warming dish perfect for a comforting dinner to share with loved ones. This fantastic pasta bake is the vegetarian version of a classic baked ziti. It is easy to make and is loaded with flavor, thanks to an easy-to-make rich tomato sauce and three kinds of cheese - ricotta for creaminess, mozzarella for those all-important string cheese pulls, and parmesan for some sharp, salty cheese flavor.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.1 tbsp olive oil1 onion, finely chopped1 carrot, finely chopped
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds before adding the passata and seasonings.4 cloves garlic, minced24 oz tomato passata/marinara sauce2 tsp dried Italian herb1 tsp oregano1 tsp sugar1 tsp ground fennel1 tsp garlic powder2 tsp onion powder1 tsp salt½ tsp black pepper
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook on low while you cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet suggests.10 oz ziti pasta1 tbsp salt
Reserve ⅓ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pan.
Assemble the Dish
Pour 2 cups of the sauce into the pasta, along with the reserved pasta cooking water, and stir gently to combine.
Spread the pasta into a baking dish (23x33cm / 9×13").
Spoon the ricotta over the pasta and then pour over the remaining sauce. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan.1 cup ricotta1½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese½ cup shredded parmesan
Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving (optional) parsley or basil to garnish
Notes
Passata is just plain, pureed tomato; it is thicker than canned tomato. It is different from the thick tomato paste you can buy. You often find it on the bottom shelf of the pasta sauce aisle. In America, Passata is called tomato sauce (not to be confused with ketchup!) If you can't find passata/tomato sauce, you can sub in a jar of marinara sauce.
You can use ziti, penne, rigatoni, spirals or cavatappi. The pictures here are taken with penne lisce.
Use creamy whole-milk ricotta for the best results. Low-fat ricotta can be very dry.
The recipe calls for shredded mozzarella and parmesan. But you can substitute with what cheese you have available. As with all my recipes, grating it yourself is always better than pre-shredded.