Vegetarian Baked Ziti features layers of al dente pasta, rich marinara sauce, and a savory herb-infused ricotta. You'll love this satisfying take on classic Italian baked pasta. It's a meatless dinner that's hearty, comforting, and full of flavor.
Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spreading softened butter around or spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400F.
Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes; saute for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper, sauteeing for another 4 minutes or so.
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cup yellow onion, 1 cup carrot, 1 cup celery, 4 cloves garlic, 1 red bell pepper, Pinch Red pepper flakes
Deglaze the pan with wine, letting it reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes using a spoon after they're in the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce to the desired consistency, and again simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat.
½ cup red wine, 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, 1 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 28-ounce cans San Marzano whole tomatoes
Meanwhile, bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for half the amount of the directed cook time. Drain, and set aside. Do not rinse.
16 ounces dried ziti pasta
In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Test for salt levels, then add in the egg. Set aside.
15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh basil, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, Freshly ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 egg, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Once the sauce is ready, toss the par-cooked noodles with the sauce. Then spread half of the coated noodles across the prepared baking pan evenly. Sollop on half of the ricotta filling, spreading as desired. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Add the remaining pasta on top of the first layer and repeat, dolloping the ricotta and finishing with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melty, golden, and the pasta bake is bubbly.
Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve it up nice and hot! Let leftovers cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Use a parmesan cheese labeled vegetarian, if needed.