5 Ingredient Meatless Baked Ziti (Kraft Copycat Recipe) Recipe
This 5 Ingredient Meatless Baked Ziti is a simple, comforting Italian-American casserole featuring tender ziti pasta baked in a creamy ricotta and tomato sauce, topped with melty mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick and satisfying vegetarian dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 oz ziti pasta
Cheese
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauce
- 24 oz pasta sauce (tomato-based)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the ziti pasta in boiling water until al dente, which is about 2 minutes less than the package directions state. Drain the pasta well.
- Combine Sauce and Ricotta: In a pot over medium-low heat, stir together the pasta sauce and ricotta cheese continuously for about 5 minutes until the mixture is warmed and smoothly combined.
- Mix Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked ziti to the ricotta and sauce mixture, stirring to ensure the pasta is evenly coated.
- Layer Pasta and Cheese: Place half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Add Remaining Layers: Add the remaining pasta mixture over the first layer, then top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and all of the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Broil for Golden Top: Switch the oven to broil and broil the baked ziti for a few minutes until the cheese topping is golden brown and slightly crispy. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the baked ziti to rest for 5-10 minutes to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, consider adding Italian seasoning or fresh basil to the sauce mixture before baking.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta so it doesn’t become mushy after baking.
- This recipe can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking; just increase bake time by a few minutes if it’s chilled.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
