Baked Ziti Recipe
Baked Ziti with Spinach, Mushrooms and Ricotta - a simple, healthy one-pot meal with only 15 minutes of hands-on time before baking in the oven. Vegan and GF adaptable!
How to Make the Best Baked Ziti
This baked ziti is a game-changer for busy weeknights. With only 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, you can have a hearty, satisfying Italian dinner on the table without slaving over multiple pots and pans. The secret? Everything cooks together in one skillet—no need to boil the pasta separately.
What makes this version special is the combination of earthy mushrooms, tender spinach, and creamy ricotta cheese. The pasta absorbs all the delicious flavors from the marinara and veggie broth as it bakes, resulting in perfectly cooked ziti with a gorgeous golden cheese topping. It’s comfort food at its finest, but with a healthy twist.
Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or meal prepping for the week, this baked ziti delivers on taste and convenience. It’s easily adaptable too—swap in ground meat or sausage for the mushrooms, use vegan cheese alternatives, or go gluten-free with your favorite GF pasta. No matter how you make it, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.
Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti with Spinach, Mushrooms and Ricotta - a simple, healthy one-pot meal with only 15 minutes of hands-on time before baking in the oven. Vegan and GF adaptable!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Cheese Topping
Garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large, 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onion, garlic and mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper, Italian herbs, cooking and stirring until mushrooms release all their liquids and this cooks off, and eventually, they get golden brown, about 12 minutes. Taste and make sure these are salted and flavorful.
Assembly and Baking
- Add fresh spinach and wilt, then add the broth or stock, the marinara sauce and the dry pasta. Stir, and bring to a simmer.
- Dot with the dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pecorino. Cover well and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and let the cheese get a little golden for a couple of minutes (feel free to broil). If there seems to be too much liquid left in the pan, simply bake uncovered a bit longer, or simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 1-2 minutes until it evaporates.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and chili flakes.
Notes
- Trader Joe's organic marinara sauce works really well in this recipe.
- For a vegan version, use herbed tofu ricotta and vegan cheese.
- This recipe is gluten-free adaptable—just use your favorite GF pasta.
