Can I make this baked ziti ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the casserole, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 minutes to the bake time if baking from cold.

What pasta shapes work best for this recipe?

Ziti, rigatoni, and penne all work equally well. Choose any short tubular pasta that holds sauce.

Can I use all cottage cheese instead of ricotta?

Yes, cottage cheese and ricotta are interchangeable in equal amounts, though ricotta yields a slightly smoother texture.

How do I know when the vegetables are properly roasted?

Roast until the edges are caramelized and slightly browned, and the cauliflower and onion are tender when pierced with a fork—about 25–30 minutes at 425°F.

Can I add meat to this vegetarian recipe?

Yes. Brown 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage and mix into the marinara sauce before layering.

Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables

Name: Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets; 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″ squares; 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about ½″ wide; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; ¼ teaspoon fine salt, divided; 8 ounces ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta; 4 cups (32 ounces) marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought), divided; ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish; 8 ounces (2 packed cups) grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; 2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, divided

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Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables | CookOS

Instructions

1
To roast the veggies: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
2
Place the cauliflower florets on one pan. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Sprinkle the salt over the two pans. Gently toss until the vegetables on each pan are lightly coated in oil.
3
Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping their rack positions halfway (lower rack to upper rack, and vice versa). Leave the oven on at 425, because we’re going to bake the dish at the same temperature. If you end up with any stray burnt onion pieces, discard them, and set the vegetables aside.
4
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente, according to package directions (it will continue to cook while it bakes in the oven, so you want the pasta to still have a little bite to it). Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
5
Add 2 cups of the marinara, the chopped basil, and ½ cup of the mozzarella to the pasta. Gently stir to combine.
6
It’s assembly time! Spread 1 cup of additional marinara sauce inside a 9 by 13-inch baker. Top with half of the pasta mixture, and gently spread it into an even layer. Evenly sprinkle the roasted cauliflower on top, then dollop 1 cup of the cottage cheese over the cauliflower (it doesn’t need to be spread into an even layer), followed by ½ cup of the mozzarella.
7
Top the mozzarella with the remaining pasta. Then sprinkle the roasted peppers and onion on top, dollop the remaining cup of cottage cheese on top, then dollop the remaining cup of marinara on that, then sprinkle the remaining cheese all over.
8
Place a clean, rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drippings. Place the ziti, uncovered, on top of the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then transfer to the upper rack for 2 to 5 more minutes until the cheese is deeply golden, if desired.
9
Remove the baker from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving (trust me). Sprinkle freshly torn basil on top, slice with a sharp knife, and serve.