Baked Ziti - Classic, Comforting and Cheesy delicious Vegetarian Baked Ziti is a perfect one-pot dinner recipe. Ziti Pasta is baked in a Tomato based Pasta sauce along with veggies and cheese and served!
This exceptionally cheesy and delicious Italian-American dinner recipe makes for a perfect weeknight dinner recipe. This Instant Pot Baked Ziti is even easier because you do not have to cook the pasta separately. All of it goes in the pot along with the sauce, veggies, and cheese and gets baked to perfection in just 5 minutes! A total winner dinner recipe!
The Baked Ziti recipe is traditionally made in the oven with layers of pasta and meat sauce topped with cheese. This is an instant pot version so the layers are missing.
Instead of taking the traditional route, I thought of making this Baked Ziti in the Instant Pot. I know all you Italians out there might be thinking that it's not traditional. However, guys, this is just so easy that even my Italian friends approved this recipe!
Trust me! Pasta cooking in one pot along with the sauce makes it so much easier to clean up later on and is such a perfect dinner recipe, especially for busy weeknights.
This recipe is so easy that my kids love making this for themselves. Especially on Friday nights when they are free, they just love hitting the kitchen and make this dump and forget Baked Ziti Recipe!
I have used Whole Wheat Pasta for this recipe. Its got so much texture and holds on top of the flavors so well! So, I have used Penne instead of Ziti. Both are almost similar in terms of structure, except that Penne has an angular edge as opposed to Ziti. I couldn't find Whole Wheat Ziti to I had to stick to whole wheat penne. However, feel free to use any Pasta you have at home for this recipe! Be it Ziti or Penne, this is going to taste so awesome at the end!
Vegetarian Baked Ziti Recipe
Meatless Baked Ziti is no less in terms of flavor as compared to Baked Ziti with Ground beef. Absolutely delicious and super amazing flavors this is a perfect dinner recipe for vegetarian folks. I love this for my family and we make it almost every week at least once!
Since this Baked Zit with No Meat lacks in protein so I have used both Mozzarella Cheese as well as Parmesan Cheese for protein and flavors in this Baked Ziti Recipe.
You can make this Vegetarian Baked Ziti recipe even more fun and wholesome by including some Spinach or other veggies or in the pasta.
I always find a good vegetarian pasta a perfect meal to get the kids to eat some veggies. They almost never notice the veggies and love it because of the cheese and the sauce! A fun trick every mom needs up to their sleeve right!
How to make Easy Baked Ziti with Vegetables
This Baked Ziti with cheese and vegetable recipe is a one-pot recipe that I have made in the Instant Pot. You can follow the same recipe and cook it on the stovetop as well. You can find separate instructions below.
STEP 1: Cook the Veggies
- Put the Instant Pot to saute mode
- Heat some olive oil
- As the oil shimmers, add the chopped onions, minced garlic, chopped bell peppers, and chopped tomatoes
- Saute until the veggies tenderize
STEP 2: Add the Sauce & Spices
- Now pour in the pasta sauce
- Throw in some dried Oregano, dried Parsley, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper
- Toss to combine everything
- Pour in some water and add the uncooked Pasta
STEP 3: Cover and Pressure cook
- Put the lid of the Instant Pot back on
- Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes
- After 5 minutes, do a quick pressure release
STEP 4: Top with Cheese
- Top with Shredded Mozzarella Cheese and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- Cover and allow the cheese to melt for 2-3 minutes.
STEP 5: Garnish & Serve
- Garnish with chopped Basil
- Serve hot.
To make Baked Ziti on stovetop
- You can make this Baked Ziti in one pot or cook the pasta and sauce separately and then combine the two.
- O prefer the one-pot version, where you dump everything in a large pot. Add some water and cover cook until the pasta gets cooked.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Top with cheese and cover cook until the cheese melts.
Other alternatives & substitutions
- This is a Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe. However, if you eat meat, then you can add Ground Beef or Ground Turkey to this recipe. Add it right when you're adding the onions.
- If you want you can add also make three-cheese baked ziti. For this use Ricotta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese.
- Sausages make a great addition to Baked Ziti with a meat recipe. In fact Sausages, Baked Ziti with Ground Beef makes for a great meal in itself.
- Replace Parmesan and use Ricotta for an even creamy taste and texture and make yourself a favorite Baked Ziti with Ricotta. You're going to love this recipe!
- This Baked Ziti with Vegetables can be made with any vegetables you have at home. Like, use Bell Peppers of your choice, Green beans, Carrots, Celery, Cauliflower, Spinach, Kale, Zucchini, or Summer Squash.
- This no-meat Baked Ziti recipe is perfect for vegetarian people. For everyone vegan, replace Mozzarella and Parmesan with Vegan Cheese.
Cooking Baked Ziti in the Slow Cooker
You can obviously make Baked Ziti in the slow cooker as well. Just put everything in the pot and allow it to slow cook all day long. Just serve it hot with some cheese! A perfect one-pot summer meal.
Freezer friendly Baked Ziti with Veggies
This Baked Ziti freezes really well. After you've cooked the dish, take it out in a baking dish. Wrap it up tightly with aluminum foil and then again with plastic wrap. Freeze this for up to 1 month. Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and bake with the aluminum foil @350F or 180C for 1 hour. You can add more cheese on top and bake for 2 more minutes until the cheese melts.
Other recipes you will love
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta
One Pot Spaghetti Recipe (NO MEAT) with Whipped Herb Ricotta
One Pot Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta
Creamy One-Pot Red Sauce Pasta
Instant Pot Vegetarian Baked Ziti
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz Whole Wheat Pasta Penne or Ziti (uncooked)
- 2 medium sized Onions finely chopped
- 1 medium sized Bell Pepper finely chopped
- 4-5 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 medium sized Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Pasta sauce or Marinara Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- ½ cup Water
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- freshly chopped Basil for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the Instant Pot in the saute mode. Add some olive oil. As the oil shimmers, add the chopped onions, minced garlic, chopped Bell Peppers and chopped tomatoes. Saute until the veggies tenderize.
- Pour in the Pasta sauce. Throw in some dried oregano, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add some water and Toss to combine everything.
- Add the Pasta and Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
- Top with Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese. Cover and allow the cheese to melt. Garnish with some chopped Basil and serve immedialtely.
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