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Are you looking for an easy healthy dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes? Look no further than my recipe for Healthy Baked Ziti with No Meat ! This meal has less than 5 ingredients and makes a great weeknight meal that is easy to prep, cook, and enjoy.
What’s for dinner?
A healthy baked ziti, it’s a fast and easy dinner recipe that has little prep, little mess and a whole lot of flavor.
When’s dinner going to be ready?
In about 30 minutes from start to finish.
What goes with baked ziti?
A side salad and garlic bread, keeping it simple to not upstage the ziti.
What goes in healthy baked Ziti?
Sauce, Pasta and cheese that’s it! You have baked ziti with no meat for your Meatless Mondays Meals.
There are plenty of ways to change up the Ziti and experiment with different ingredients such as:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef 90% or higher
- A pound of lean ground chicken
- 1 pound of healthy ground turkey
- You can add in one medium zucchini sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
- 3 to 4 cups of fresh spinach finely chopped
The best part about this fast and easy dinner is that you need less than 5 ingredients and viola it is in the oven for 20 minutes to get a golden crust on top from the yummy mozzarella cheese.
All you need for your Healthy Baked Ziti is:
- Ziti
- Pasta sauce (Use your favorite but we like good old fashion Ragu 32ounces)
- Cheese (mozzarella and ricotta)
All your kitchen supplies you need:
- Measuring cups
- Favorite 8X8 baking dish or disposable 8X8 aluminum pan
- 3 quart pan
It’s that easy!
(FUN FACT PHOTO) Fun history fact about Baked Ziti :
Ziti al Forno is how the Italians call it we know it as baked ziti and it has a history a lot different than what you might think. Did you know that this dish was served in the middle ages and the renaissance period? It was most served during celebrations for people of noble birth. The dish is known more for the technique of the way it is cooked than what is in it. You can look around and as long as you have sauce, pasta and cheese you can make Baked Ziti.
Less about history more about cooking here is my recipe for healthy baked ziti.
Healthy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ziti or your Favorite pasta
- 1 32 ounce jar Ragu Pasta sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella
- 1 15 ounce container Ricotta Cheese
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and turn on the oven to 375.
- Once the water is boiling toss in the pasta (Directions on the box), I like to leave my pasta a little al-dente because the oven is going to continue cooking the pasta once the dish is made.
- Use a 8X8 baking dish.
- Once the pasta has cooked to al-dente drain the pasta.
- Put a layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan to help keep it saucy and the ziti from drying out .
- Next place a layer of pasta, I like to eyeball this. Make sure it covers the bottom but not to crowded so about half of the bag of pasta you are cooking.
- Then put a layer of cheese. I did half the container of ricotta and a cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat add sauce on top of the cheese, enough to cover the cheese.
- Add then add the rest of the pasta.
- Next we will add the remaining sauce.
- Finally top the rest of the cheese. Put the ricotta first then the mozzarella.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Instructions:
1.Bring a pot of water to a boil and turn on the oven to 375.
2. Once the water is boiling toss in the pasta (Directions on the box), I like to leave my pasta a little al-dente because the oven is going to continue cooking the pasta once the dish is made.
3. Use a 8X8 baking dish.
4. Once the pasta has cooked to al-dente drain the pasta.
5. Put a layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan to help keep it saucy and the ziti from drying out .
6. Next place a layer of pasta I did about half of what I cooked
7. Then the put a layer of cheese I did half the container of ricotta and a cup of mozzarella cheese.
8. Repeat add sauce on top about, make sure it covers the cheese well.
9. Add then add the rest of the pasta.
10. Next we will add the remaining sauce.
11. Finally top the rest of the cheese. Put the ricotta first then the mozzarella.
12. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Here are some handy tips and tricks that I like to use along the way.
**The great thing about the aluminum baking pan is that after dinner you already have your storage container for the leftovers. Just need aluminum foil and you can cover it and in the fridge it goes.
Freezer Meal Tip: The aluminum baking pan is also great if you want to make a double batch of this healthy baked ziti. Follow the instructions, bake and let cool for about an hour. Tightly wrap aluminum foil around the container once cooled. Then place it in the freezer for a “go to” freezer meal to be used within 3 months. Make sure to label it and put on the instructions . Set oven at 375 for an hour baked covered for 50 minutes and last 10 minutes uncovered.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.
Want to find more healthy family recipes check out some of these items: