Bake Ziti Recipe – Now This is Comfort Food!
My mom used to make a variation of this baked ziti recipe when I was a child and it was one of my favorite meals. I love that our family has put our own twist on it (cough, more veggies and beans), and it is one of my kid’s favorites too!
Pattypan squash slices on top is one of our favorite variations of this dish, but if don’t have any pattypan squash sliced eggplant works deliciously too. We often make this with eggplant during cold winter months when unusual summer squash varieties are hard to come by. Also, swapping out the zucchini for fresh spinach is a tasty option too. Really we add whatever veggies we have on hand, anything that works well with a simple basil pasta sauce will do just fine!
Looking for ways to make this dish even healthier? Swap out regular pasta for chickpea pasta or whole wheat pasta. Unlike regular pasta, which has little nutritious value, chickpea pasta is loaded with protein and fiber. I’m a huge fan of the Banza chickpea pasta, and you can find it in almost any grocery store now. I’m not going to lie, it’s pricy but I strongly believe that the good things we put into our bodies are totally worth it and will save us money on medical bills in the long run. Think of it as an investment in your health. Would you rather pay a little more for nutritious food now and live a long healthy life or feed your body empty calories and have it break down at an earlier age and then spend it on medical issues. No thanks!
Anyway, this is an easy baked ziti recipe and it is a great weeknight meal. Plus as an added bonus it is delicious as leftovers. So make a huge pot and enjoy!
Baked Ziti Recipe
This baked ziti recipe is loaded with vegetables: sauteed zucchini, pattypan squash on top, and a red bell pepper hiding in the tomato sauce. This delicious healthy pasta will leave you full and satisfied. Yum!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 16–ounces of ziti or penne pasta (chickpea or whole wheat)
- 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 zucchinis, chopped into large chunks
- 1 lemon
- 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed (minced)
- 1 cup of fresh basil leaves
- Salt to your liking
- 15.5-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- 2 pattypan squashes, thinly sliced
- 10–ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a saute pan and kick the heat up to medium-high.
- Add the zucchini to the saute pan.
- Juice the lemon. Add the lemon juice to the saute pan. Cook the zucchini and lemon juice until the zucchini is tender and lemon juice has cooked down approximately 5 minutes.
Pasta sauce
- Add diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, garlic, basil, and salt to a blender pitcher.
- Pulse the blender a couple of times to mix up all ingredients. This does not need to be smooth, a little chunky is a-ok.
Assemble
- Add cooked pasta, zucchini, chickpeas, and pasta sauce to a large baking dish. Mix together until everything is coated in pasta sauce.
- Lay the pattypan squash slices on top of pasta, covering the entire top.
- Tear pieces of mozzarella with your hands and evenly sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the pattypan squash.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the mozzarella is bubbly and beings to brown.
- Let the pasta cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Yum!
Notes
This pasta is great as leftovers! Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
