Meatless baked ziti is a comforting pasta recipe the whole family will love! Made with mushrooms instead of meat, it has plenty of cheese and texture and is large enough to satisfy a crowd.
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Pasta night is the best night.
It doesn't get much better than a comforting serving of cheesy pasta. Baked ziti is a classic, but I'm changing it up a bit.
Meatless baked ziti
Most baked ziti recipes you'll find use sausage. I'm sharing a vegetarian baked ziti recipe that has no meat but uses mushrooms instead.
Mushrooms give this recipe lots of nutrients and an earthy flavor. You'll still get all the same pasta, tomato sauce, and cheese you love from the classic recipe. It's a fairly inexpensive meal that can feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White button mushrooms
- Onion
- Garlic
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Ziti or other large cut pasta
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
How to make meatless baked ziti
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the tomatoes, crushing them one at a time with your hands as you drop them in, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so that the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water until just starting to soften but still too hard to eat, about 2 minutes short of al dente. Take about ¼ cup of the pasta water and add it to the sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and half of the mozzarella.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan. Bake until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbly.
Top tips
Undercook your pasta
Baked pastas absorb liquid, which can result in a mushy or dry dish. I like to cook my pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente (check your box of pasta to know when this would be) when using it in a baked recipe so it will be perfectly cooked when it comes out of the oven.
Choose high quality tomatoes
The tomatoes you choose will have a huge effect on the final taste of your dish. If cost is a concern to you, I find it's better to go with cheaper pasta and cheese than tomatoes. I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor.
Grate your own cheese
Shredded cheese is convenient, but it doesn't melt as well as a freshly grated block of cheese. If you want the cheesiest ziti with some great cheese pulls, be sure to grate it yourself.
Don't rinse mushrooms
Mushrooms usually have a little dirt clinging to them, but don't rinse them under running water! Don't soak them either. Mushrooms won't dry fully and then won't get as golden when cooking as they would otherwise.
Instead, gently wipe any dirt away with a washcloth, either damp or dry, before slicing.
Vegetarian parmesan cheese
Real parmesan cheese is not vegetarian because it uses animal rennet. If it is important to you to make this a vegetarian baked ziti, look for a parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet instead.
How to store baked ziti without meat
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze baked ziti before or after cooking.
To freeze before cooking, assemble the dish up to the point of baking. Allow to cool for 30 minutes if the pasta is still warm, then wrap tightly with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
To cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed, adding 5-10 extra minutes and checking to make sure it is hot throughout. You could also cook straight from frozen if you aren't using a glass dish, just allow 60+ minutes for it to cook through.
To freeze after cooking, allow the dish to cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 months. You could also freeze individual portions in an airtight container. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat individual portions in the microwave or leave the aluminum foil on and bake in a 400ºF oven until warmed.
Tips for customizing vegetarian baked ziti
- If you want to make baked ziti with ricotta, mix 8-16 ounces of ricotta cheese in with the pasta and sauce before baking
- Cook ¼ - ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes with the onions and garlic to make spicy baked ziti
- Swap the ziti for a similar pasta such as penne, mostaccioli, or rigatoni
- Use vegan cheese to make a vegan baked ziti
- Use gluten-free noodles to make this gluten-free
FAQ
Ziti and penne are similar, but not the same. Ziti is shorter, thicker, and cut straight across. Penne, on the other hand, is longer, thinner, and cut on a diagonal.
You can usually use these two pasta shapes interchangeably, keeping in mind that they may have different cooking times. Consult your package for detailed instructions.
You do not need to cover baked ziti while baking, but can if you prefer. If you do choose to cover it, remove the cover in the last few minutes of cooking and broil if desired to brown the cheese.
You can keep baked ziti moist by cooking your pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions. You can also add marinara sauce if you want it to be saucier. Covering the dish while baking can also help prevent drying (but I like the crispy top/edge pieces!).
More vegetarian pasta recipes
- Halloumi Stroganoff
- Penne al Pomodoro
- Spaghetti Arrabbiata
- Tomato and Feta Pasta
- Baked Ravioli
- Easy Fettuccine Alfredo
- Spaghetti Aglio Olio
- Pesto Linguine
- Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
- Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Pasta
- Olive Oil Alfredo Sauce
- Halloumi Carbonara
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Meatess Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5-7 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes with their juice
- 1 pound ziti or other large cut pasta
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Freshly ground black peper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
- Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, release their water, and begin to dry out again, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing them with your hand as you drop them in, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so that the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water until just starting to soften but still too hard to eat, about 2 minutes short of al dente. Take about ¼ cup of the pasta water and add it to the sauce. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and 2 cups of the mozzarella.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
Tips for customizing vegetarian baked ziti
- If you want to make baked ziti with ricotta, mix 8-16 ounces of ricotta cheese in with the pasta and sauce before baking
- Cook ¼ - ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes with the onions and garlic to make spicy baked ziti
- Swap the ziti for a similar pasta such as penne, mostaccioli, or rigatoni
- Use vegan cheese to make a vegan baked ziti
- Use gluten-free noodles to make this gluten-free
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