My family went nuts for this dish. They’re huge pasta lovers and the cheese sauce made with three cheeses sealed the deal. The sauce that coats the pasta is so cheesy, rich, and full of flavor. Anytime you’ve got three great cheeses like mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan melted together, things are going to be good. Throw in some browned onions, garlic, and juicy tomatoes and it’s a total win. It makes an ample amount which is great for planned leftovers. And the leftovers freeze well for hectic nights when all you can manage is pulling something from the freezer. I love having a few get-out-of-jail-free-cards stashed in my freezer! Detailed instructions on how to assemble the meatless baked ziti in advance are provided in the blog post below.
Recipe Ingredients
To make the three cheese baked ziti, you’ll need the following basic ingredients:
Ziti Canned diced tomatoes Olive oil Yellow onion Garlic Vegetable stock or broth Milk (I used Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk) All-purpose flour Ground black pepper Grated mozzarella cheese Grated fontina cheese Grated Parmesan cheese Fresh parsley or basil (for serving)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Meatless Baked Ziti with Cheese
Baked cheese ziti is so simple to prepare! You’ll first have to boil the pasta according to the package instructions, then toss it with the three cheese sauce and bake. Here’s an overview of the recipe steps:
Make-Ahead Instructions
The recipe is easy and you can prep it up to two days in advance and bake it off when you’re ready. To prepare in advance:
Recipe Variations to Try
Swap the pasta. The ziti can be replaced with another short and sturdy pasta, such as rotini, bow tie, penne, etc. You can even use whole wheat pasta, if desired. Swap the cheeses. I don’t recommend replacing the mozzarella cheese since it’s what helps make the cheese sauce so gooey and creamy. But the Parm and contain may be replaced with other grated cheeses. Add protein. I kept this a meatless cheese baked ziti, but you’re welcome to add half a pound to one pound of browned and seasoned ground beef, ground Italian sausage, ground chicken or turkey, etc. Add vegetables. You can sauté other vegetables alongside the onion, like bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and so on. Use softer veggies that cook quickly if you’re in a rush, and dice or slice them thinly so they’re easy to spear on a fork with the baked ziti.
More Easy Pasta Casseroles:
Baked Ziti with Chicken — A FAST and EASY pasta bake made with al dente ziti, juicy chicken, marinara sauce, and two types of CHEESE for the ultimate comfort food casserole! Freezer: Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to three months. You can also freeze smaller portions in freezer bags for quick lunches or dinners. To Reheat: Heat for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven (covered), or heat in 30-second bursts in the microwave. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Taco Spaghetti Bake — Tender spaghetti noodles are tossed in a creamy cheese sauce along with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, and cilantro! The PERFECT family-friendly weeknight dinner recipe that’s super EASY and ready in 30 minutes! Baked Chicken Alfredo — Hearty Italian-inspired comfort food! Fettuccine noodles are tossed in a homemade alfredo sauce, topped with chicken, baked, and then finished off with crispy crunchy breadcrumbs! Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Casserole — Hearty comfort food that’s EASY and IRRESISTIBLE!! Cheesy pasta and beef coated in marinara sauce and topped with more CHEESE! Makes planned leftovers and is freezer-friendly!! Pizza Pasta Casserole – EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and for times when you want BOTH pizza AND pasta!! Ground beef, pepperoni, and oodles of cheese make this casserole pure COMFORT FOOD! Feeds a crowd!! Post brought to you by Silk. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own.
