Vegetarian Baked Ziti with Herb Ricotta

This is the best vegetarian baked ziti around! It has layers of al dente pasta, a rich marinara sauce made from scratch, and a savory herb-infused ricotta. It all bakes together into a hearty, comforting meatless dinner the entire family will devour!

📝 Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)
• 1 1/2 cup yellow onion (finely diced)
• 1 cup carrot (finely diced)
• 1 cup celery (finely diced)
• Pinch Red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped or minced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoons fresh rosemary (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano)
• 2 28-ounce cans San Marzano whole tomatoes
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 egg (whisked)
• 16 ounces dried ziti pasta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or diced fresh mozzarella)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spreading softened butter around or spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. 2Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes; saute for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper, sauteeing for another 4 minutes or so.
3. 3Deglaze the pan with wine, letting it reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes using a spoon after they're in the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce to the desired consistency, and again simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat.
4. 4Meanwhile, bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for half the amount of the directed cook time. Drain, and set aside. Do not rinse.
5. 5In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Test for salt levels, then add in the egg. Set aside.
6. 6Once the sauce is ready, toss the par-cooked noodles with the sauce. Then spread half of the coated noodles across the prepared baking pan evenly. Sollop on half of the ricotta filling, spreading as desired. Sprinkle on 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
7. 7Add the remaining pasta on top of the first layer and repeat, dolloping the ricotta and finishing with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melty, golden, and the pasta bake is bubbly.
8. 8Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve it up nice and hot! Let leftovers cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.