This Vegetarian Baked Pasta is cheesy, creamy, and packed with vegetables. It is a comforting meal and can satisfy everyone in the family!
My family loves this Vegetarian Baked Pasta dish; it’s super delicious! Assembling the pasta dish is easy and quick and can be prepared ahead of time. It is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
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Hearty Vegetarian Baked Pasta
This pasta dish is amazingly comforting, delicious, and satisfying. It is packed with vegetables, creamy ricotta, and cheese. And do not forget about bubbling marinara sauce!
If you want to take a break from vegetarian lasagna, try this Vegetarian Pasta Bake. You can easily customize the recipe and make it your own.
Adding ricotta makes the pasta creamy, rich, and filling. I also like to use a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese to make the pasta extra cheesy.
I always make pasta sauce and marinara sauce at home, as we can not find them at the grocery store without onion and garlic. So, I use my homemade marinara sauce for this recipe. But you can use store-bought marinara sauce or your favorite pasta sauce.
Also, add your choice of vegetables or make it with only spinach. If you do not want to add cheddar cheese, you can exclude it from the recipe.
Why You Will Love This Pasta
- Vegetarian Baked Pasta is loaded with vegetables.
- It is made with simple and delicious homemade marinara sauce.
- This dish has a perfect pasta, marinara, ricotta, and cheese ratio.
- You can easily adjust the recipe according to your taste preferences.
- Assemble the pasta dish beforehand and bake it right before your meal time.
- It is eggless, without parmesan cheese, and vegetarian.
Ingredients and Notes
- Pasta: My favorite pasta for this recipe is rigatoni. But you can use other dried pasta such as ziti or penny.
- Oil: I like using olive oil, but you can use your favorite cooking oil.
- Vegetables: I used zucchini, celery, carrots, and bell peppers to make this vegetarian baked pasta. But you can add more vegetables of your choice. Some suggestions are broccoli, spinach, green beans, or mushrooms.
- Paprika: I add sweet paprika for some flavor and color. You can skip it or add hot paprika if you prefer.
- Oregano: Adding oregano brings flavor to the pasta. You can also use fresh oregano instead of dried oregano.
- Marinara Sauce: I make marinara sauce at home because I need it without onion and garlic. The recipe is here: Homemade Marinara Sauce. But feel free to use your favorite marinara sauce, pasta sauce, or spaghetti sauce.
- Ricotta: Ricotta adds creaminess and richness to the pasta. Depending on your preference, you can use full-fat or part-skim ricotta.
- Cheese: I used mozzarella and cheddar cheese for a cheesy and melting experience, but you can add only mozzarella cheese. If you have a vegan option for parmesan cheese available, use it instead of cheddar cheese.
- Fresh Basil: Basil adds a pleasant note to the pasta dish. I like to top the pasta with torn basil leaves before baking, but you can also top it with fresh basil after baking. If you do not have fresh basil, sprinkle dried basil on the top.
- Red Pepper Flakes: I prefer some heat in my pasta dish. However, it is optional, and you can skip it.
How To Make Vegetarian Baked Pasta
Preparations
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Preparing The Ricotta Mixture
- Combine ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese in a bowl.
- Mix well and set aside.
Cooking The Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the pasta to boiling water and cook it to al dante according to the package.
Cooking The Vegetables
- While the pasta is cooking, cook the vegetables.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet for a few seconds and add chopped celery, zucchini, carrot, and bell peppers.
- Cook the vegetables on medium heat for 6-8 minutes, tossing regularly, until softened and cooked through.
- Season the vegetables with salt, oregano, and paprika.
- Stir well and add marinara sauce to the vegetables.
- Mix well, cook for 5-6 minutes, and turn off the heat.
Assembling And Baking Vegetarian Baked Pasta
- Once the pasta has been cooked, drain it and return it to the pot.
- Add the sauce and vegetable mixture to the pasta and mix well.
- Then add the ricotta mixture and stir gently to mix everything well.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking pan and top with shredded mozzarella, chopped basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Bake the pasta uncovered, until the top is golden brown, for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
How To Store Vegetarian Baked Pasta
Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven until heated through.
Variations
Vegetables: You can add more vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, green beans, and mushrooms.
Cooking The Vegetables: Instead of cooking the vegetables on the stovetop, you can roast them in the oven.
Sauce: Instead of marinara sauce, you can use spaghetti or pasta sauce of choice.
Cheese: You can leave out cheddar cheese if you have an option of vegan parmesan cheese.
Herbs: Add more fresh herbs of your choice to the pasta dish if you want.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to prepare vegetarian baked pasta a day before, you can!
To do so, cook the pasta and vegetables. Prepare the ricotta mixture and assemble everything in a baking dish according to the recipe, but do not bake. Once it comes to room temperature, cover the baking pan tightly and refrigerate.
When you are ready to serve, bake the pasta as per the recipe.
Recipe Tips For Vegetarian Baked Pasta
Pasta: I prefer rigatoni for this recipe as this pasta provides the most texture. But you can use either ziti or penne pasta. Do not overcook the pasta; cook al dante or a little under than al dante. Pasta will be cooked in the sauce further while baking.
Marinara Sauce: You may need more sauce than what is mentioned in the recipe. So, after mixing all the ingredients, add more sauce as needed if the pasta looks dry. Or, if you prefer saucy pasta, add 5-6 cups of marinara sauce.
Ricotta and Cheese: The ratio of ricotta and cheese I mentioned in the recipe is perfect. But if you prefer mildly cheesy or more cheesy pasta, add the cheese according to your preference.
More Easy Meals
Recipe Card
Vegetarian Baked Pasta
Ingredients
For Cooking The Pasta
- 350 g dried pasta such as rigatoni, ziti, or penne
- Water to cook pasta
- Salt
For Cooking The Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 celery rib finely chopped
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 1 bell pepper orange or yellow, cored and diced
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups marinara sauce (add more if the pasta mixture looks dry)
For Ricotta Mixture
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
For The Topping
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese (or as needed)
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves torn or chopped
- Dried oregano to sprinkle
- Red pepper flakes to sprinkle (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Prepare The Ricotta Mixture
- Combine ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
Cooking The Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to boiling water and cook al dante according to the package.
Cooking The Vegetables
- While the pasta is cooking, cook the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large skillet for a few seconds and add celery, zucchini, carrot, and bell peppers.
- Cook the vegetables on medium heat for 6-8 minutes, tossing regularly, until softened and cooked.
- Season the vegetables with salt, oregano, and paprika. Stir well and add marinara sauce to the vegetables. Mix well, cook for 5-6 minutes, and turn off the heat.
Assembling And Baking The Pasta Casserole
- Once the pasta has been cooked, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and vegetable mixture and stir to mix everything well. Then add the ricotta mixture and gently mix with pasta.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking pan and top with shredded mozzarella, chopped basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Bake the pasta uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven until heated through.
Notes
- Pasta: I prefer rigatoni for this recipe as this pasta provides the most texture. But you can use either ziti or penne pasta. Do not overcook the pasta; cook al dante or a little under than al dante. Pasta will be cooked in the sauce further while baking.
- Marinara Sauce: You may need more sauce than what is mentioned in the recipe. So, after mixing all the ingredients, add more sauce as needed if the pasta looks dry. Or, if you prefer saucy pasta, add 5-6 cups of marinara sauce. |
- Ricotta and Cheese: The ratio of ricotta and cheese I mentioned in the recipe is perfect. But if you prefer mildly cheesy or more cheesy pasta, add the cheese according to your preference.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think.