Easy 3 Cheese Baked Ziti (Meatless)

This easy shortcut meatless baked ziti is comforting and so delicious! It uses premade sauce to keep the preparation quick. It’s so saucy and cheesy that you won’t miss the meat.

This easy 3 cheese meatless baked ziti uses a few shortcuts to make it quick and easy! Use pre-shredded cheese and store-bought pasta sauce to make this simple and delicious cheesy ziti.

You don’t need to do any chopping or sauteing. Just boil the noodles, mix the ingredients, layer, and bake. You can prepare this a day ahead or freeze a pan for later.

Meatless baked ziti is crowd-pleasing, freezer-friendly, and perfect for family dinners. It travels well and is fabulous for meal trains or delivering to new parents. 

It makes super tasty leftovers. But the recipe can be divided into smaller pans if you’re cooking 1 or 2 people and don’t want a ton of leftovers.

Gift Idea: Here’s a fun housewarming gift idea for recent graduates or newlyweds. Buy a 9×13 baking dish and lay 2 jars of pasta sauce and a box of ziti in it. Print the recipe and add it to the dish. Wrap a kitchen towel and a wooden spoon around the dish like a bow.  If you want to add something extra, include a gift card so they can buy the cheeses and remaining ingredients.

Ingredients

A box of dried ziti is an obvious pasta choice, but penne or rigatoni also works well! Cook the pasta in salted water to al dente. Drain it, but don’t rinse it!

Ricotta, parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt form a tasty cheese filling.

Shredded mozzarella cheese is mixed into the pasta bake and layered on top for melty, cheesy goodness.

A couple of jars of store-bought pasta sauce make this extra saucy without simmering it on the stove all day. Use your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce, and be careful to get 24-ounce jars.

Variations

Add meat: Brown 1 pound of ground beef, chicken, or turkey with ½ teaspoon of salt, and add it to the ricotta mixture for a more traditional meaty ziti.

Add more cheese: Top with another cup of shredded mozzarella to make it cheesier.

How to Make it

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

Cook the ziti to al dente (according to package instructions) in a pot of salted boiling water. Then, drain the ziti. Do not rinse it!

While the ziti is boiling, go ahead and make the cheese mixture.

Crack the egg into a very large mixing bowl and whisk it until it gets frothy. Then, add the ricotta, 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix it until combined.

Then, add 1 jar of the pasta sauce and stir to combine.

Add the cooked and drained ziti noodles to the bowl and stir to combine.

Spread the mixture in a 9×13 baking dish, then top with the remaining jar of sauce.

Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Then, bake uncovered at 350℉ for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and serve.

Make Ahead, Freezing, and Reheating

Storage

Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating

Reheat an individual serving in the microwave. Place on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute. Then microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.

Make Ahead

You can make this meatless 3 cheese ziti up to a day ahead. Follow the instructions to assemble the pasta, but do not bake it. Cover it with foil. Then, refrigerate it until ready to make. Cook for 30 minutes covered. Remove foil and continue cooking uncovered for 15 minutes.

Half Now, Half Later

This makes a large pan of pasta! If you’re cooking for a smaller family or prefer to avoid leftovers, make the recipe in 2 pans. Use 2 8×8 pans or small casserole dishes. Spread half of the mixture in each pan, then top each pan with half of the remaining sauce and cheese. Freeze a pan for later, or take it to a friend!’

Freezing

You can freeze this ziti. Follow the directions to assemble the pasta, but do not bake it. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Then date, label, and freeze. I like to use disposable aluminum pans for freezing pasta bakes.

Increase the cooking time when cooking a frozen dish. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the foil-covered dish on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes covered. Remove the foil and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Or, thaw overnight and follow the cooking from refrigerated instructions.

Serving Tips

Make this easy ziti for supper. You can serve it as a standalone meal or add a green salad and bread. I like serving it with my simple arugula salad or Greek salad. 

You can assemble this meatless baked ziti ahead of time. Cover it with foil and stick it in the fridge. Either cook it the next day or freeze it for later.

Baked ziti is a great dish to share! It makes an easy comfort food for new parents who recently had a baby. You can also bring it as part of a meal train for someone grieving or sick. You can bake it or write the baking instructions on the foil so they can cook it when ready or freeze it for later.

Pro-tip:  If you deliver baked pasta, consider using a disposable aluminum pan. The recipient will not have to worry about washing and returning the dish!

More Pasta Recipes

• Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
• Pesto Tortellini

Print