Looking for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner? This Vegetarian Baked Ziti is it! This recipe adds lentils for extra protein, ricotta, and spinach to sneak in some extra veggies.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Calling all carb lovers! I've got a quick and easy weeknight dinner for y'all today: Vegetarian Baked Ziti!
I've been trying to crack the code for the ultimate Vegetarian Baked Ziti for a while now, and after many discussions with my Italian-American friends and trying out a whole lot of different recipes, I finally landed on the winning combo.
This recipe has lentils stirred into the sauce, and if lentil baked ziti sounds funky to you, let me assure you it is perfection. I also wanted to add some vegetables without the end result being aggressively vegetable-y, and had the idea of folding finely chopped frozen spinach into the ricotta to achieve that.
Unlike making a lasagna (like my Kale Lasagna with Cottage Cheese) Baked Ziti doesn't require any fussy layering. And as much as I love whipping up a batch of my Instant Pot Pasta Sauce to be used in baked pasta dishes like this, I wanted to test this recipe with store-bought marinara sauce and canned lentils to make it as easy as possible to pull off on a weeknight.
Ingredients
You'll find specific quantities of all of the ingredients needed to make this Vegetarian Baked Ziti in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. Let's take a quick look at what you'll need:
- Pasta --> Ziti is impossible to find where I live, so I used sedani rigati instead. Penne or rigatoni are also good substitutes if you can't find ziti.
- Frozen spinach --> We're using this to green things up.
- Ricotta --> A classic addition.
- Lentils --> I used canned lentils to make things quick and easy.
- Marinara sauce --> Your favourite canned sauce or homemade pasta sauce is fine.
- Mozzarella --> Because carbs + cheese = life.
If you're wondering about the difference between ziti and penne, this is a great guide to different pasta shapes. But the truth is, any of them will work just fine in this recipe, so use what you have on hand or what's easy to find.
Equipment
The main thing you'll need to pull off this baked pasta dish is an oven-proof casserole dish big enough to hold it. I used this 12"x9" deep casserole dish from Le Creuset (<-- Amazon link).
How to make this recipe
You will find detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, but for now let's talk through it step by step.
Step 1: Start by squeezing as much moisture as possible from your frozen spinach. I like using a clean kitchen towel for this job (pictured above).
Step 2: Mix the spinach into the ricotta, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Boil your pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. This typically takes about 8-10 minutes, but varies from brand to brand and shape to shape. Drain the pasta, then return to the same pot.
Step 4: Add most of the marinara sauce (reserve about 1 cup for the baking dish), lentils, and ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to the pasta, and stir to combine.
Step 5: Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish, and spread out in a thin layer.
Step 6: Add about half of the pasta to the dish, and spread out in an even layer.
Step 7: Dollop heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over the top of the pasta.
Step 8: Add the remaining pasta, and then the remaining ricotta mixture. Use a spoon to gently tuck the ricotta into the pasta as best as possible.
Step 9: Scatter the remaining cheese over the top of the pasta dish.
Step 10: Cover the casserole dish with foil (or use an oven-proof lid if it comes with one) and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 11: Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is brown and bubbly on top.
That's it! Your Vegetarian Baked Ziti is done like dinner.
Pro tips / recipe notes
Can I make this recipe in advance?
You sure can! You can prepare the dish up to the point of baking it, and then refrigerate (or even freeze) until you're ready to bake.
You can also bake the dish and then re-heat it when you're ready to serve.
Can you freeze baked ziti?
Yes you can. You can freeze an entire tray of it (either baked or unbaked as per above) or you can freeze individual servings, which is what I do.
Simply wrap squares of cooled pasta in foil, label them, and toss them into the freezer. Frozen baked ziti will last for up to three months in your freezer.
How to re-heat baked ziti
When I freeze individual portions (or have leftovers in the fridge) I usually use my microwave for re-heating.
If you've frozen an entire tray of baked ziti, I recommend letting it thaw, and then baking as per the instructions in this post.
Can this recipe be made gluten-free?
Yes it can. Simply choose your favourite gluten-free pasta and you are good to go.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
If you're vegan or don't eat dairy, you can replace the ricotta with crumbled tofu, and replace the mozzarella with your favourite non-dairy cheese. Or try this Vegan Baked Ziti recipe from Nora Cooks.
Other recipes you might enjoy
Halloumi Carbonara
Vegetarian Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
Vegetarian Ravioli Bake
Creamy One-Pot Pasta with Peas
One-Pot Lemony Kale Noodles
Vegetarian Baked Ziti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz Ziti or similar pasta shape such as penne
- 6 oz chopped frozen spinach thawed, and squeezed out
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 4 cups marinara sauce approx 3x 14oz jars
- 14 oz canned lentils drained and rinsed - approx 1.5 cups lentils
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C. Set a large pot of water over high heat to come to a boil.
- Start by squeezing as much moisture as possible from your frozen spinach. I like using a clean kitchen towel for this job (pictured above).
- Mix the spinach into the ricotta, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Boil your pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. This typically takes about 8-10 minutes, but varies from brand to brand and shape to shape. Drain the pasta, then return to the same pot.
- Reserve about ¾ cup of pasta sauce for the baking dish. Add remaining 3 ¼ cups marinara sauce, lentils, and ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Pour ¾ cup of reserved marinara sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish, and spread out in a thin layer.
- Add about half of the pasta to the dish, and spread out in an even layer.
- Dollop heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over the top of the pasta.
- Add the remaining pasta, and then the remaining ricotta mixture. Use a spoon to gently tuck the ricotta into the pasta as best as possible.
- Scatter the remaining 2 cups cheese over the top of the pasta dish.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil (or use an oven-proof lid if it comes with one) and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is brown and bubbly on top.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- Note that I measured pasta sauce and lentils in cups as jars and cans come in different sizes.
- If you prefer to cook your own lentils rather than using cans, start with ½ cup green or brown lentils, and cook until tender.
- To make this dish gluten-free, simply substitute gluten-free pasta
- This dish can be made in advance, up to the point of baking, and then refrigerated for up to 2 days or freeze, tightly covered, for up to 3 months.
Kimberly
Hi Katie, my family loves pasta dishes so I'm always on the lookout for vegetarian options they'll enjoy. Your cheesy cauliflower pasta bake is a favorite and a regular guest at dinner. So thank you for a weeknight option as it seems I have less and less time to get dinner on the table these days. However, I have a nutritionist question for you. Whenever a recipe calls for frozen spinach that needs the moisture squeezed out I feel like I'm tossing most of the nutrients down the drain. I usually save the liquid for smoothies, but I'm wondering if the spinach actually ends up being as healthy as it seems.
Katie Trant
Hey Kimberly! What you're squeezing out is mostly water. True there are some nutrients that go with it, much like when you've steamed or boiled veggies you'll notice the water has taken on some colour, which indicates some nutrients leeching out in the cooking process. But it really is negligible in most cases, and saving the liquid for smoothies or soups is an excellent way to get that little bit of extra back in. Personally I use it for watering my plants!
Lynda
Hi,
Wondering if I could use fresh spinach? I just happen to have a lot right now. Looks great.
Thanks,
Lynda
Katie Trant
Hi Lynda, I think fresh spinach would be fine. I would probably cook it (sauté in a bit of oil or steam it) and press the liquid out before using. Then proceed as usual.