This healthy baked ziti has zucchini, carrots and spinach cooked into the sauce, then it’s layered with pasta, ricotta and mozzarella and baked until bubbly. It tastes like classic baked ziti.
It makes eight servings from a pound of pasta and a jar of sauce, and the vegetables stretch it further. It’s a good way to use up produce that needs to be cooked soon.
One pan covers dinner for a crowd or two nights for a family, and it freezes well.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Pasta: Ziti or penne. Whole wheat or chickpea pasta add fiber and protein.
- Vegetables: Zucchini, carrots, onion and spinach. Butternut squash, mushrooms and bell pepper also work.
- Marinara: A 24-ounce jar. Use one you like the taste of.
- Cheeses: Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan. Cottage cheese can replace the ricotta.
- Meat: Optional. Add a pound of browned ground turkey or Italian sausage to the sauce.
Tips for Baked Ziti
- Undercook the pasta. Boil it 2 minutes less than the package says. It finishes in the oven.
- Blend the sauce for picky eaters. An immersion blender makes the vegetables disappear.
- Mix some sauce with the pasta. Coating the pasta before layering keeps the dish from drying out.
- Cover, then uncover. Foil keeps it moist. Removing it at the end browns the cheese.
- Rest for 10 minutes. It holds together better when served.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $11.38 from Walmart, $10.26 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.28 to $1.42
Healthy Baked Ziti with Hidden Veggies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, and carrots and cook for 7–8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the marinara, spinach, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Carefully blend the sauce until smooth using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender with the lid vented). Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan.
- Toss the pasta with about two-thirds of the sauce. Spread half the pasta in the baking dish, dollop the ricotta mixture over it, then top with the remaining pasta and sauce.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more, until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, garnish with basil, and serve.
Notes
- Add 1 pound browned lean ground turkey or Italian sausage to the sauce for extra protein.
- Use whole wheat or chickpea pasta for added fiber.
- Swap the zucchini for butternut squash or red bell pepper.
- Assemble up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate, and add 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make ahead: Assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Add 10 minutes to the baking time.
- Refrigerate: Leftovers keep, covered, for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave single portions, or warm the whole dish at 350°F, covered, until hot.
- Freeze: Freeze baked or unbaked, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before baking.
Short on time? Lazy No-Boil Baked Ziti skips boiling the pasta.
More budget dinners: 10 Cheap Meals for 4 Under $10.
Baked Ziti Questions
Can I leave out the ricotta?
Yes. Use cottage cheese, or skip it and add an extra cup of mozzarella.
Will kids notice the vegetables?
Not if the sauce is blended smooth. Chopped small, they’re visible but soft.
