One Pan Vegetarian Baked Ziti (No Boil!)

This easy one-pan vegetarian baked ziti skips boiling the pasta! Made with mushrooms, spinach, marinara, and creamy ricotta, it's a cozy, cheesy meatless dinner. An easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love! Includes a video.

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.~ John Muir~

This easy one-pan vegetarian baked ziti is pure comfort food with a simple twist-there's no need to boil the pasta first! Everything comes together in one dish with hearty mushrooms, spinach, rich marinara, and creamy ricotta for a cozy, satisfying meal with minimal prep and cleanup. It’s gluten-free and vegan-adaptable and requires only 15 minutes of hands-on time before letting the oven do the rest of the work.  Tucked inside are heaping handfuls of spinach for added nutrients!

Don’t you just love easy one-pan meals? We designed this vegetarian pasta recipe, specifically for busy nights when time is short but you want something comforting and cozy on the table. It’s packed with flavor and nutrients, and my favorite part? No pre-boiling the pasta!

Vegetarian Baked Ziti Recipe Ingredients

• Mushrooms - Bring a hearty, meaty texture and umami flavor, making this baked ziti satisfying without the need for meat. Cremini, king oyster, or portobello mushrooms work beautifully, but you can also substitute your favorite vegetarian sausage or plant-based option.
• Olive oil - Creates a flavorful base for sautéing the vegetables and building richness into the sauce.
• Onion and garlic - Add savory depth and a classic Italian foundation to the dish.
• Italian herbs, salt, and pepper - Create the cozy, familiar flavors of a classic baked pasta dish.
• Fresh spinach - Adds color, nutrients, and freshness while melting into the sauce. Frozen spinach works too for an easy shortcut.
• Vegetable broth and marinara sauce - Form a rich, flavorful sauce that cooks the pasta right in the pan, keeping this recipe simple and comforting.
• Ziti or penne pasta - The perfect shape for catching all the sauce and cheesy layers.
• Ricotta cheese (or tofu ricotta) - Adds creamy richness and that classic baked ziti texture.
• Pecorino or Parmesan and mozzarella (or vegan cheese) - Create the golden, melty, cheesy topping that makes baked pasta irresistible.
• Fresh basil or Italian parsley and chili flakes (garnish) - Finish the dish with freshness and a little optional heat.

Variations

• Make this vegan using vegan tofu ricotta and vegan cheese.
• Make this meaty with browned Italian sausage ( in addition to mushrooms or instead of mushrooms)

How to make Baked Ziti

It starts with sautéing shallots, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil.

Add a couple of heaping handfuls of greens. Here I’ve used spinach, but keep in mind, kale and chard work well too. Wilt.

Add the 8 ounces dry pasta. We are using ziti, but penne, or other pasta will work too. No need to preboil the pasta in the recipe!

Add chicken or veggie stock.

Add one 24-25 ounce jar of your favorite marinara sauce.

Of course, you can use homemade tomato sauce if so inclined. Or this quick marinara sauce, or even store-bought- not the one pictured here, but actually Trader Joes Organic Marinara – is surprisingly flavorful! I keep a couple of jars on hand for emergencies.

 

So basically, it will look like this. Top with dollops of ricotta. Or try our Tofu Ricotta!

On the left is our Vegan tofu ricotta I keep telling you about which is so easy to make, it literally takes 5 minutes. I use it in vegan lasagna and cannelloni as well.

It really has a similar texture as you can see below on the left. Because it’s made with tofu instead of cashews, it’s a much lower-calorie option.

Now at this point, I’ll add grated pecorino and mozzarella cheese mostly to Brian’s side.

The mozzarella gives it the melty stringy yumminess he loves.

Then into the oven, it goes to bake. So simple and easy!

How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Baked Ziti

• Ziti can be assembled ahead of time, then baked up to 48 hours later. Let it come to room temperature before baking, and add 10-15 more minutes of baking time or until the internal temperature reaches 145F.
• Baked Ziti can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• Reheat leftovers in a 350F oven or in a microwave.
• Freeze-baked ziti for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in 350F oven to 145F

What to serve with Baked Ziti

I love serving this with a leafy green salad and garlic bread!  Here are some more options…

• Soft Sourdough Rolls
• Classic Caesar Salad
• Fig Arugula Salad with Pecans
• Savory Leek Bread

More recipes you may like:

• 40 Best Pasta Recipes
• Stuffed Shells with Mushrooms, Spinach & Ricotta
• 50+ Easy Dinner Ideas
• Roasted Eggplant Lasagna with Arugula Pesto
• Butternut Lasagna with Mushrooms and Sage
• Broccoli Manicotti with Burrata
• Vegan Mushroom Pasta with Roasted Sunchokes
• Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash and Kale

Baked Ziti video

Please let us know what you think in the comments below!

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On the home front: Summer is officially over. I have to tell you… It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a summer with so much time to enjoy the outdoors. Since we decided to cut back on catering, we’ve had a luxurious amount of time to just be outside and bask in the sunshine.It’s good for the soul!

We’ve done a lot of hiking and exploring in our area, and it never ceases to amaze me how one can discover something new on the same path taken a hundred times before. You just have to have new eyes.

It’s the same with people, too, and really, who I’m talking about are spouses. Mine in particular. 😉 We are so dynamic. Change occurs in us every day. We don’t always notice this on the surface, but pay attention, and you’ll see. Or perhaps we would rather not see. There is safety and comfort in the one we depend on, staying the same.  I get it.

But how fun is that? Life becomes more of an adventure when I let go and trust the changes that come.

And trust the path of the people we are connected with. Lately, I’ve been feeling very grateful for Brian, for being so incredibly different than me. I used to resist it. To fight against his timing, growth, and perspective, and of course, I’m sure I will again. 😉

But today I see how he has helped me in a way that nothing or no one else ever could, in his own unique way, without him even being remotely conscious of it.  A gift from the universe. 🙏 ✨

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