Meatless Easy Baked Ziti Recipe Recipe For Zucchini

BEST VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When ready, add the pasta and cook to al dante according to package. When ready, drain pasta but save about 1/2 cup cooking water.
• While the pasta is cooking , cook the vegetables. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes or so, tossing regularly, then add diced zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic. Raise heat to medium-high and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, tossing regularly, until vegetables have softened and cooked through. Season with kosher salt, oregano and paprika. Sit aside till needed.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup grated Paremsan and 3 tbsp Mozzarella. Mix well. (If needed, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to help mix the cheese)
• Once the pasta has been cooked and drained, bring it back to the cooking pot. Add 1/2 of the marinara sauce and starchy cooking water you reserved (1/2 cup). Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce. Fold in the ricotta cheese filling. Mix again to combine, but leave some big "pockets" of the cheese mixture.
• Grab a 9 1/2" x 13" casserole dish. Pour a little marinara sauce to the bottom of the dish, spread. Spread half the pasta. Now add the cooked vegetables and some of the torn basil on top and spread well across the pasta layer. Sprinkle a little bit of shredded mozzarella on top (leave more mozzarella for very top layer.) Add remaining pasta. Spread remaining marinara sauce on top and add remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
• Place the casserole dish on the middle rack of your heated oven. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or so. Remove from heat and let rest about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting through. garnish with fresh basil.

CLASSIC MEATLESS BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Cook the penne pasta according to package directions.
• Drain the pasta in a colander.
• In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan
• cheese, eggs, garlic, parsley and Italian seasoning to a large bowl and stir to combine well
• In a 9x13 baking dish, add half of the sauce and spread evenly all around the dish.
• Add the cooked/ drained pasta to cheese mixture and toss well to coat
• Add the pasta mixture to the baking dish spread evenly.
• Top with remaining sauce, then the other 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes

GREAT BAKED ZITI WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Make the cheese sauce in a large bowl by blending the Ricotta (1 pound), heavy cream (8 ounces), eggs (2 large). Then stir in mozzarella (4 ounces) and Parmesan (4 ounces).
• Make the tomato sauce by combining the marinara (28 ounces), diced tomatoes (15 ounces), balsamic vinegar (1 tsp), sugar (1tsp) black pepper (1 tsp). Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove.
• Add 1 cup of the tomato sauce to the cheese sauce and mix.
• Cook the ziti according to the box directions for al dente. About 6 to 8 minutes in boiling salted water.
• Add the ziti to the cheese mixture and mix well.
• Brush a 13 x9 inch baking pan with olive oil and pour in the noodles. Ladle the ziti with the remaining tomato sauce. Top the sauce with the rest of the mozzarella (4 ounces) and Parmesan (4 ounces) sprinkling evenly all over. Cover with foil and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the casserole on the middle rack and cook for 30 minutes covered. After 30 minutes remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with additional Parmesan and chopped flat leaf parsley (or basil)

ZUCCHINI BAKED ZITI RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add frozen zucchini spirals.
• Cover and let cook, 6 minutes.
• Remove the lid and flip. Season with salt and pepper and cook an additional 3 minutes.
• Drain the zucchini in a mesh sieve.
• Meanwhile, heat a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.
• Add the onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook until browned, about 6 minutes.
• Mix in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Drain the fat from the ground beef and mix in the marinera sauce.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.
• Once meat sauce is cooked, start building your baked ziti dish.
• Start with half of the cooked zucchini spirals in an even layer in the prepared casserole dish.
• Spread half of the sauce over the zucchini and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzerella and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
• Repeat with reamining zucchini, sauce, and cheese.
• Sprinkle baked ziti with parmesan cheese.
• Place casserole in oven and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling around the edges.

VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Cook the ziti to just before al dente.
• Coat a 9'x12" baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.
• In a skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until translucent.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Don't let the garlic brown.
• Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add to the skillet. Add in the juice from the can.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix the ricotta and mozarella cheeses.
• Add the parsley, basil, oregano, salt, red pepper, a few grinds of pepper, and mix.
• Add the tomato-onion mixture and mix well.
• When the ziti is drained add to the cheese mixture and toss well to coat the pasta.
• Spoon the mixture into the baking dish.
• Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top of the pasta.
• Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

EASY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In an 8×8 or 9×13 glass dish, spread 1/4 cup of cauliflower sauce even on the bottom.
• Line up noodles against each other in several rows. Nestle half of the zucchini or squash strips randomly yet evenly among the noodles.
• Sprinkle the top with half of the baby kale or spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup of Monterey jack cheese on top.
• Scoop remaining cauliflower sauce over the top, spreading gently to create an even layer.
• Repeat steps 3-5.
• Top with homemade spaghetti sauce and Monterey jack cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese is melted and golden.
• Serve hot with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.

MEATLESS BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Rinse and drain.
• Mix mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, onion, parsley, egg, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Stir in drained pasta and 2 cups of marinara sauce.
• Pour 1 cup marinara into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread to coat. Pour pasta and cheese mixture into the pan, top with remaining marinara, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake, covered, in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake until bubbly and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

MELTED ZUCCHINI BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Be sure to reserve the ½ cup of the pasta water after cooking!
• Heat a large skillet (you can do an oven safe one if you don't want to transfer) over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini cook down and sort of melt into the pan. Stir in the red pepper flakes.
• Stir in the reserved pasta water and the pesto. Stir in the fresh basil. By this time the pasta should be finished. You can either add everything to a baking dish or add it all to the skillet if it's large enough. Toss the pasta with the zucchini pesto mixture - whether it's in the dish or skillet.
• Add the ricotta cheese in scoops throughout the pasta. Toss it together until the ricotta coats most of the pasta. Add the fresh mozzarella - a few slices in the noodles and a few on top too.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, just until the cheese melts everything comes together. Remove and serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan and fresh basil for garnish.

ZUCCHINI BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Boil water and cook the ziti according to package directions.
• While it is cooking, follow next steps.
• When it is done, drain and set aside in large bowl (or pot).
• Slice the zucchini.
• In a skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and fry the zucchini until browned on both sides.
• Take them out of the pan and drain on paper towels.
• In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent.
• Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour into large bowl with the drained ziti.
• Rub two shallow baking pans with olive oil.
• In the first pan, put 1/4 of the ziti, then 1/4 of the zucchini.
• Dot with butter, add 1/4 of the mozzarella and then 1/4 of the Parmesan.
• Repeat the layers in that pan.
• Repeat above steps for second pan.
• Bake pans in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes until the top is brown and crusty.
• OR BAKE ONE, FREEZE ONE!
• OR FREEZE BOTH: Cover the other pan tightly with aluminum foil and freeze.
• Defrost before baking.

VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and salt; stir to combined.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• Mix spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes together in a medium bowl.
• Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of the prepared casserole. Layer ingredients as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, 1/2 of the vegetable mixture, 1/2 of the Parmesan substitute, 1/2 of the mozzarella slices, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, all of the remaining ziti, all of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining Parmesan substitute, and all of the remaining sauce. Set remaining mozzarella slices aside.
• Cover loosely and bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, and top with remaining mozzarella slices. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer.