Cauliflower Baked Ziti

A skillet pan with baked cauliflower ziti topped with melted cheese. The pan of ziti is sitting on a dark background with herbs arranged around it and a gray napkin.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked ziti recipe without ricotta, cauliflower baked ziti, veggie baked ziti

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 372kcal

Author Bethany Kramer

Ingredients

1 lb dried ziti noodles
1 cauliflower head, cut into smaller florets
2 teaspoon avocado oil
2 1/2 - 3 cups marinara divided
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
Roast the cauliflower: arrange the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the florets are evenly coated in oil and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Cook the pasta: While the cauliflower is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a bowl (about 2 teaspoons of salt). Then cook the pasta as the box instructs, drain and place the pasta noodles back into the pot. Set aside.
Mix the ingredients together: When the cauliflower is finished, add to the pot of pasta with 1 cup marinara, 1 cup of cheese, and fresh herbs. Mix then add to a baking pan/dish.
Top and bake: then top the pasta with the rest of the marinara and cheese. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy with additional fresh herbs!

Notes

The best pans for baked ziti - My ideal pan for baking pasta is a heavy cast iron pan/pot (preferably enameled) or a metal baking pan. Why? Because both radiate a lot more heat than glass, which then results in the deepening of flavors and even textures. You can of course use glass if you don't have these types of baking dishes, but I truly love the results when using a heavy baking dish.

Make it gluten-free friendly! If you want to make this baked ziti gluten-free I recommend using brown rice gluten-free pasta noodles or my favorite chickpea pasta noodles (made with chickpea flour instead of wheat flour!).

Nutrition