Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables with a seasoned crust and rosy, tender center—special-occasion energy without mystery steps.
Comforting Baked Ziti with a Crispy, Golden Crust
A reliably cozy casserole that delivers a caramelized vegetable bite, a molten cheesy heart, and a seasoned top that feels celebratory without extra fuss.
This is the kind of baked ziti you bring out when you want special-occasion energy with weeknight ease: roasted vegetables for bright sweetness, a ricotta-mixed internal creaminess, and a browned cheese crust that crackles when you scoop. The recipe leans on familiar, forgiving ingredients—ziti, marinara, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan—assembled in a way that yields a rosy, tender center and a seasoned crust every time.
Roasting the zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and thin-sliced garlic concentrates their sugars and gives each forkful little pockets of caramelized flavor. Tossed with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and spread in a single layer, they blister and become pleasantly tender in about 18–22 minutes—exactly the kind of texture that stands up to baking without getting lost in the sauce.
A couple of small techniques keep the casserole silky: cook the ziti just shy of al dente and save ½ cup of the pasta water to loosen the sauce if it needs it; fold an egg and a handful of Parmesan into the ricotta so the filling sets with the right creaminess; and distribute sauce through the layers so every bite has tang, cheese, and veg. Finish with a generous shower of mozzarella and more Parmesan for that irresistible top.
Bake until it’s bubbling and the top is bronzed, then let it rest briefly so the center firms to that rosy, tender texture everyone loves. If you want to prep ahead, roast the veg and assemble the pan up to a day in advance (or freeze for longer), then bake when you’re ready. It’s pure, family-friendly comfort—simple enough for a weeknight, pretty enough for guests.
Ingredients
How to Make Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch half-moons, core and chop the red bell pepper into 1-inch pieces, and slice the red onion into 1/2-inch wedges; smash and thinly slice the garlic.
- Toss the zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; spread in a single layer on the prepared sheet and roast 18–22 minutes, turning once, until caramelized and tender.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti 1–2 minutes shy of package al dente (about 8–9 minutes); reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- In a medium bowl stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until smooth.
- Add the roasted vegetables and marinara sauce to the drained ziti; stir to combine, adding up to the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture seems dry.
- Fold the ricotta mixture into the pasta-and-vegetable mixture until evenly distributed; stir in chopped fresh basil (reserve a few leaves for garnish).
- Spoon half the pasta mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with half the remaining mozzarella and half the remaining Parmesan, add the rest of the pasta, then top with the remaining cheeses and an even layer of breadcrumbs tossed with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 22–25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top; for a crisper top, broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with the reserved basil, then serve family-style. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Recipe Card
Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables with a seasoned crust and rosy, tender center—special-occasion energy without mystery steps.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch half-moons, core and chop the red bell pepper into 1-inch pieces, and slice the red onion into 1/2-inch wedges; smash and thinly slice the garlic.
- Toss the zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; spread in a single layer on the prepared sheet and roast 18–22 minutes, turning once, until caramelized and tender.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti 1–2 minutes shy of package al dente (about 8–9 minutes); reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- In a medium bowl stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until smooth.
- Add the roasted vegetables and marinara sauce to the drained ziti; stir to combine, adding up to the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture seems dry.
- Fold the ricotta mixture into the pasta-and-vegetable mixture until evenly distributed; stir in chopped fresh basil (reserve a few leaves for garnish).
- Spoon half the pasta mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with half the remaining mozzarella and half the remaining Parmesan, add the rest of the pasta, then top with the remaining cheeses and an even layer of breadcrumbs tossed with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 22–25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top; for a crisper top, broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
- Let rest 5 minutes, garnish with the reserved basil, then serve family-style. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 82
- Saturated Fat
- 11.2
- Sodium
- 1310
- Fiber
- 6
- Unsaturated Fat
- 12.8
- Protein
- 32.5
- Fat
- 24
- Cholesterol
- 100
- Trans Fat
- 0.08
- Calories
- 660
- Sugar
- 11.2