A delicious easy recipe for Baked Ziti with Spinach, Mushrooms and ricotta. A one-pan meal with only 15 minutes of hands-on time before baking, with no pre-boiling the pasta! An easy, delicious weeknight dinner the whole family will love! Includes video.
Looking for more? Check out 50 Best Vegetarian Recipes and Our 40 Best Mushroom Recipes!
Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.~ John Muir~
Here’s a simple, no-boil version, Baked Ziti with Spinach and Mushrooms that can be made in one pan and is gluten-free adaptable! It requires about 15 minutes of hands-on time before letting the oven do the rest of the work. Perfect for weeknights when time is short but you still want a hearty wholesome homemade meal.
Tucked inside are heaping handfuls of spinach for added nutrients!
Baked Ziti! | 60-second video
Ingredients in Baked Ziti
What I love about this recipe for Baked Ziti is how adaptable it is! Besides the pasta ( use ziti, penne, rigatoni) and Marinara sauce, feel free to add ground meat or Italian sausage, or keep it completely plant-based with seasonal veggies. Here we are using mushrooms and spinach but other veggies work too! Once you have the basic idea, the recipe can be adapted to your specific preferences.
You can even make this vegan using vegan tofu ricotta!
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, then baked up to 48 hours later. Let it come to room temp before baking, and add 10-15 more minutes of baking time or until internal temp 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
ON the homefront: 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, 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 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.
Ok friends, I hope you enjoy this Mushroom Baked Ziti and please let me know how you adapt it below.
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- 40 Best Pasta Recipes!
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- Butternut Lasagna with Mushrooms and Sage
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Baked Ziti
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: main
- Method: Vegan Adaptable
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
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
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced (cremini, portobello, or sub ground meat or sausage)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 3–4 ounces baby spinach, chopped ( about 2 great big handfuls) or use 1-2 cups frozen spinach
- 2 cups veggie broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 x 24-25 ounce jar marinara sauce- ( 2 3/4– 3 cups) Trader joe’s organic brand is really tasty -see notes
- 8 ounces dry ziti pasta or penne pasta, or similar (about 2 1/2-3 cups)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, or herbed tofu ricotta
- 1/4–1/2 cup finely grated pecorino or parmesan (optional)
- 1/2– 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese ( or sub vegan cheese)
- garnish with fresh basil (or Italian parsley) and chili flakes.
Instructions
- 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.
- 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
Feel free to add or substitute the mushrooms with browned Italian sausage or turkey sausage. You could also try adding soy sausage.
Make sure your marinara sauce actually tastes good. Not all are the same and you many need to adjust seasonings, and salt based on the marinara.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: using 1 cup whole milk ricotta and 1 cup total cheese ( mozzarella & parm)
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 419.4 mg
- Fat: 15.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.1 g
- Fiber: 5.2 g
- Protein: 19.9 g
- Cholesterol: 33.7 mg
Made this dish last night. It was easy and absolutely flavorful and fantastic! My husband did not even wince about the absence of meat! I did everything on the stove top, then transferred to a 9X13 baking dish. It is a keeper for sure. Thanks a ton.
Perfect Alyce! Glad it worked for you! 🙌
This turned out great! I love that I only had one knife and one cutting board to clean up, since I used a dutch oven. This was so easy, but had delicious results. I will say, when I first pulled it out of the oven it was too soupy looking and I panicked. I stirred it around a bit and let it set for 10 minutes, and it thickened up beautifully. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Samantha- no, not soft tofu but actually a type of tofu called “silken tofu”. it is typically not refrigerated – Mori Nu brand is common. 😉
I made it with chia pasta and we will see how it tastes…… Umm, but it would be really helpful if you excited this to specify a minimum pot/pan size.
I had no idea what size to use and I used my 10 inch cast iron and this was waaaaaayyyy too big for it. I had to split it into two pans for the simmering and then put it into a huge casserole pan to cook in the oven. So in total the prep took me about 45-60minutes instead of like 15….? And it defeated the idea of “one pan” meal.
For new cooks looking to grow in kitchen skills, having a pan size stated would be helpful. I’m guessing yours was closer to 12 or 14 inch pan with a depth of three to four inches?
Sorry about that Sarah- Yes use a large 12-inch skillet. I will note the recipe!!!
Hi,
Do you think subbing a legume pasta (eg red lentil penne) for regular would work? My concern is the legume pastas seem to be a bit starchy so I usually cook then rinse them- haven’t tried any in a bake yet.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried Bean-Pasta in a bake yet either- but really curious! Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Do you think it would work to sub feta cheese for the ricotta?
Give it a try? May not be the right flavor here but it wouldn’t be horrible.
This is the 2nd week in a row where I am making this recipe. It is so good and I love that I can sneak some hidden veggies in my picky toddler’s diet!
This was so delicious – thank you!
Great to hear! thanks!
This recipe was delicious, a keeper for my family. I didn’t have Italian seasoning so I just used some fresh basil and thyme, dried rosemary, marjoram, oregano and chili flakes to season before putting it in oven. I’ll never be able to repeat the combination since I was winging it so will get Italian seasoning for next time. Really outstanding recipe. My husband was in ha
Eaven
Delicious!So easy to make!
So good.
This was easy and tasty. It looked soupy when it came out of the oven but the liquid absorbed in just a few minutes as it cooled on the counter before serving so your cooking times are accurate.
As an aside, I don’t see where you say to use the Chili flakes or Italian seasonings listed in the ingredients. I assumed they go in with the mushrooms, onions and garlic but clarity on that would be nice for those who make this recipe in the future.
Thanks for the recipe!
she finished with the Italian seasoning and chili flakes
Delicious! But are the nutrition facts correct? It looks like the pasta itself is 200+ calories when I divided it up to 5 servings. Just wondering!
I’ll double check!
Followed exactly. It was ok but I would not make it again. Not good as leftovers.
Hummm, I’m so sorry about that Elizabeth, I will have to restest this and get back to you. It could have your marinara sauce?
This was really good!!!!! I made it with brown pasta because they dodnt have regular penne in the store(lol) and it was really good. I didn’t pre-boil it whoever wondered and turned out great. I love that it’s under 400 calories and I have have this wonderful dish while dieting 😀
Awesome- thanks for sharing!
I made this with the herbed ricotta and used gluten free pasta. It was delicious!
I loved this one-pot wonder! Delicious and easy to make. Thank you Sylvia!
So so good!! We’re having the leftovers as we speak and kicking ourselves for not making more!!!
Thanks so much!
I need to use gluten-free pasta (corn-rice-quinoa penne). It’s supposed to cook in 11-13 minutes. I’m assuming it will work like regular pasta, using this “no-boil” recipe. What do you think?
Thanks!
I think it should work fine! You tell me…how did it turn out?
I know for me, I use the Jovial gluten free brown rice rotini or spaghetti with this recipe often. It always comes out spot-on! A family favorite!
Thanks!
Can you also make this in a casserole dish or does it need to be made in a cast iron skillet?
Can totally be made in a casserole dish!
Could you make this in a casserole dish, too? Or does it need to be a cast iron skillet?
Oh yum! Oh yum! Another winner!
The BEST BAKED ZITI I’ve ever eaten! So simple to prepare, the kitchen fragrant as it was cooking – it was delicious! I made the Vegan Version for my friends, (who would never consider eating a vegan meal), and they loved it! The Herbed Tofu, er, I mean the ‘Ricotta Cheese’ was the best part. Must have been, as there is none left. I might just tell them one of these days, but not until we try the CHILE RELLENOS recipe that I’ve got my eye on next.
Thank you Sylvia for sharing these delicious Vegan meals!
Thanks so much… and I’m so happy you enjoyed it!!! Yes, the smell of this cooking is divine!
Glad you tried the vegan Herbed Ricotta! Have a great day!
I’m making this this afternoon for my meat eating football fans, but I’m doing the vegan version without mentioning it. I’ll report back after supper. Thanks Sylvia
I was more than happy to search out this web-site.I wanted to thanks to your time for this excellent read!! I positively enjoying every little little bit of it.
Ah Sylvia, all the gooey cheesy in your beautiful photos has made me so hungry, perfect comfort food!
I have almost all the ingredients at hand would love to give this recipe a try. It looks so yummy. However I found pasta was not listed in the ingredient list. I did see you mentioned it in the instructions. How much weight is 2.75 cups – 3 cups dry pasta? Like a pound?
Ooops!!! 8 ounces!