This oven baked 4-ingredient roasted zucchini ziti is one of those cozy, weeknight miracles that tastes like it took all afternoon. I actually stole this gem from my vegetarian aunt, who swears by simple pantry staples and a hot oven. The zucchini roasts right in the dish with the pasta, the marinara sauce bubbles up around everything, and the mozzarella melts into a golden, stretchy blanket on top. It comes out incredibly rich and satisfying for something so simple, and it’s hearty enough that no one at my table ever asks, “Where’s the meat?”—they’re too busy going back for seconds.
Serve this roasted zucchini ziti straight from the glass baking dish with a big green salad or a simple pile of steamed broccoli on the side. Garlic bread or warm dinner rolls are perfect for scooping up any extra sauce. If you’d like to round out the meal a bit more, add a small bowl of fresh fruit or sliced oranges to brighten things up. A sprinkle of extra grated mozzarella or Parmesan at the table lets everyone customize their own plate, and a little crushed red pepper on the side keeps the spice-lovers happy without overwhelming the kids.
Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Roasted Zucchini ZitiServings: 6
Ingredients
12 oz dry ziti pasta
2 medium green zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons
3 cups marinara sauce (about 24 oz)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the pasta doesn’t stick.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for 2–3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain well.
While the pasta cooks, wash the zucchini and slice it into thin rounds or half-moons, about 1/4 inch thick. Keeping the slices fairly thin helps them roast up tender in the oven.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained ziti, marinara sauce, half of the shredded mozzarella (about 1 1/2 cups), and all of the sliced zucchini. Stir gently until everything is evenly coated in sauce and the zucchini is tucked throughout the pasta.
Pour the mixture into the prepared glass baking dish, spreading it into an even layer so the zucchini slices are distributed from edge to edge.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, covering as much of the surface as you can. This will melt into a bubbly, golden-brown layer.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is hot and the zucchini has started to soften.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted, lightly golden brown in spots, and the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork.
Let the baked ziti rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps it set up a bit so it scoops out in nice, cheesy squares, just like in a cozy casserole photo.
Scoop generous portions from the glass dish, making sure each serving has some of the tender roasted zucchini slices and plenty of that golden, melty mozzarella on top.
Variations & Tips
If you have picky eaters, you can chop the zucchini into small cubes instead of slices so it blends in more with the pasta. For extra richness without adding more ingredients, use a very thick, flavorful marinara and a whole-milk mozzarella, which will give you that deep, satisfying taste my aunt loves. If you need this to be a little lighter, use part-skim mozzarella and whole-wheat ziti; the dish will still feel cozy and filling. To make it a bit saucier, stir in an extra 1/2–1 cup of marinara before baking. If you’d like some crunch on top, set the dish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely, until the cheese is deeply golden. You can also prep this in the morning: assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate, then bake at dinnertime, adding 5–10 extra minutes if it’s going into the oven cold. For a smaller household, bake in two 8x8-inch dishes, enjoy one now, and cool and freeze the other (tightly wrapped) for a future busy night.
