Baked Ziti and Summer Veggies

I've made this more times than I can count! Summer has nothing to do with it. Make it anytime!

I always use zucchini and squash but tend to add whatever other veggies I have in the house. Generally double the recipe and make a pan to freeze. It turns out amazing every time. Definitely recommend using the fresh herbs but I've made with dried and it is works just fine. A quick, easy meal that is delish. Can't go wrong.

Used penne cause that's what I had. Also my zucchini turned out to be older than I thought but had plenty of yellow squash to make up for it. No onion, added some red pepper (the veggie, not the spice) and a can of quartered artichoke hearts to it as well. Considered adding some black olives but maybe next time. Regardless it was really good and I would make it again.

The video is not the same as the published recipe. The video includes marinara sauce and vinegar. Confusing, but it seems to be a good foundation for a nice meal. Will wing soon. 

In the video they use grape tomatoes and added marinara sauce but that is not the way the recipe reads which may account for why some found it dry.

What probably helped this recipe in my house on my first try making this was the addition of 4 oz. of prosciutto. I also used double ricotta and about a 1/4c parmesan cheese. Since I didn't have fresh herbs, I used dried basil and oregano: 2t. to 2T, and to make up for lack of fresh herbs I added about a cup of loosely chopped fresh spinach. I will certainly make this again and possibly experiment more.

Added flavor boost with some marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, doubling the fresh basil, and using an Italian cheese mix for 1/2 the cheese (keeping the Mozzarella for the other 1/2 since it creates a nice gooey consistencey), and then topping with 2 TB of parmesan. Also added in a hot pepper (red Fresno pepper) to the vegetable saute and a bit of white wine. I agree that the sauce curdles a bit, and I'm wondering now if that's the result of the raw egg hitting the hot pan.  Next time, I'll let the vegetables cool just a bit and transferring them to a bowl before adding the ricotta/egg mixture. It means one extra bowl, but that would be worth it.

I am in charge of a local precinct for voting here in Florida, so I made this for all my poll workers. It was a hit, to say the least! Two woman said that their husbands wouldn't eat traditional baked ziti, but they were quite sure they'd love this! I had to ask my husband to bring down copies of the recipe! I made the recipe exactly as written and it was exceptional! Definitely going into our rotation!

This recipe is great, but they appear to have made a mistake.  If you add the crushed red pepper with the other herbs, it ends up creating tiny pockets of heat, and very little actual taste.  To get a uniform taste, put the crushed red pepper in in with the squash, zucchini, and onion.  In addition, I add 1/8 teaspoon black pepper with the herbs.  The taste is great and wonderfully uniform throughout the dish.  Yummy!

It was my first time trying a recipe like this. I left out a few ingredients such as the ricotta, red pepper, oregano, and pepper, reason being some family members are allergic to some of the ingredients. It was a hit, but i made the mistake of making the pasta first and then letting it sit while i cut the veggies.

I really like this recipe because it's a healthy way to make baked ziti. My recommendations are to double or even triple the seasoning and herbs. I also think cooking longer than 15 minutes is a good way to go as it helps clear up the liquid that develops in the bottom of the dish.

Made exactly as directed and the whole family enjoyed it, including my 4yr old!! I thought it seemed to be a super small amount of pasta, but with all of the fresh sautéed veggies, none of us noticed or missed it. I think fresh veggies and herbs were key. This is going into regular rotation!

Really good - I bet it would be awesome with sun dried tomatoes too.

I made this last night and can't wait to have leftovers tonight. There was no yellow squash in the grocery store so I went and grabbed some frozen vegetables (asparagus, peppers), thawed them under running water and carried on with the recipe. I couldn't find fresh oregano either so had to use dried. I thought there was enough cheese and like I said, it was good and I will make it again.

This was just OK. I'm not sure why it has so many 5 star ratings. I followed the directions but added additional ricotta as suggested by other reviewers and some parmesan to the top as well. I doubled it because it had so many great reviews but now wish I hadn't. I don't think I'll make this again, there are other recipes that are more flavorful than this one.

I wasn't going to make this because it sounded just OK, but after reading the reviews, (and because I had a bunch of squash) I tried it. We really liked it. I doubled the amount of pasta called for (used 1/2 box of short cut ziti) and doubled the amount of ricotta, but followed the rest of the recipe as written. I used sweet cherry tomatoes cut in half for the tomatoes. I added some fresh grated romano on the top before baking in a 9X13 pan. Made this way, it serves about 6. Will definitely make again, maybe for a cookout this weekend. Looks very nice too.

The reason for three stars is that this recipe was a little dry. The next time I will try substituting canned tomatoes for fresh. We liked the flavor and all the added vegetables. I will try this one again.

I LOVE this recipe! I double it and put it in a 9X13 baking dish, so it lasts a few nights. I also use extra red pepper, extra pasta, and an Italian blend cheese like some other reviewers suggested. I think dishes without meat aren't my husband's favorite, but he did enjoy this. It is great for the weeks when I'm home alone. I can make it and have enough for most of the week. Can't wait to get veggies from my local farmers market and try this one again!

Made this last night. I used dried oregano and my fresh basil. Very tasty and easy. A definite repeat.

This was so delicious and fresh. A big hit with the family

I made this for my husband the other night, he LOVED it, and he is not a vegetable eater! I had a lot of button mushrooms on hand, so I added a cup of quartered mushrooms as I was sauteeing the squash. I served this as a side, would also be wonderful as a main dish, maybe add some chicken.

My family loved this easy to prepare meal. I doubled the recipe so I could freeze one batch for later. I added extra cheese and ricotta. Will be making this again.

This was really good for pasta that is mostly veggies--I actually thought it tasted like something that I would order in a restaurant! I did make a few substitutions which gave it a richer, creamier flavor: I used whole milk ricotta (only added about 12 more calories per serving), and I used 2 oz. of whole milk mozzarella cheese and 2 oz. of Monterrey Jack cheese (only added about 12 additional calories per serving). This is a great summer dish!!!

Made this for "meatless Monday" last night, and I thought it was fantastic! I had the squash, zucchini, and fresh herbs in my garden, and will have tomatoes soon (if I can keep the deer away) so I anticipate making this all summer long! I used ridged ziti, which held everything together well. I think it would be great with mushrooms, too. THe addition of bacon suggested by other reviews sounds awesome as well - but not for meatless Monday! ;)

I took a gamble in making this for my meat-loving, vegetable-loathing boyfriend a few nights ago, but we both LOVED it! My boyfriend even ate a second helping and would have gone for a third, but at that point the entire thing was gone. My only complaint is that ziti is incredibly hard to find - after futilely searching for it at three stores, I ended up substituting 4 oz of rigatone instead. All in all, an excellent dish. I will definitely make this again!

the recipe was okay for family meal, but I served to guest ( not really a crowd wow-er). The flavors did well together, but I think adding prosciutto would have been better. I used both mozzarella and feta cheese. My veggies let out a little too much liquid after baking which was a little embarrassing with all my guests watching as I drained, not sure why so much came out. we drained and then ate it.

Made this tonight but added some cooked bacon before baking, mixed all of the mozzarella in with the pasta, added a bit more ricotta, and sprinkled parmesan on top. With those mods it was amazing - will definitely make again.

Very good, colorful and healthy. My husband was very impressed with it.

Delicious and really easy.

This was a great way to use that squash I got in my CSA box and herbs from the garden. I pretty much stuck with the recipe, but was generous measuring the squash and onion and added some extra pasta as well. I, like some other reviewers, mixed in some other cheeses and was also generous with the cheese. I used a mix of fresh mozzarella, Italian cheese blend, goat cheese and a little Parmesan. I also sprinkled Parmesan on top. I did sauté the veggies a little longer than the recipe called for, but they were still firm and not mushy after baking. Hubby asked for meat next time. I'll add some Italian sausage for him, but I liked it just as is.

Super fast and super good! Also, very inexpensive, even with all the fresh veggies. My husband and I both had seconds!

This was just ok. Kind of more work than I typically like on a worknight, so I had hoped for more. I like the idea of adding Turkey Polska Kielbasa that another reviewer mentioned. I'd give it another chance with that addition. Edit 2/18/13: Remade this and used canned and drained fire-roasted diced tomatoes and added 1 cup diced turkey keilbasa and omitted the ricotta and egg. The family enjoyed it a LOT more and I'd bump my rating up to 4 stars.

I tinkered with it a bit but otherwise the veggie haters loved it! I had to throw a little meat in there, so I added 2-3 links of Wegman's hot Italian sausage. I also didn't end up using the tomatoes, but added a few tablespoons of Pasta sauce. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I doubled it. I would definitely make this again as a way to get in some extra veggies!

Really good variation on baked ziti. easy and very satisfying. Will make this again!

We absolutely loved this! I made a larger amount and added mushrooms, eggplant & spinach to the mix! So yummy! You know it's good when your 13 year old eats 2 big helpings : )

Made this tonight and it was soooo good. I doubled the recipe because we have company. I used Rotel Canned Tomatoes with green chiles (3 cans) instead of Tomatoes and I omitted the pepper flakes because the Rotel tomatoes would add a little heat. I served it with Hillshire Farms Turkey Polska Kielbasa links and it was fabulous!!! Will definitely make it again.

Delicious!!! used whole wheat penne, used 1% cottage cheese in place of ricotta, and pureed it in the food processor with the egg, 1/4 cup pecorino romano, mozzarella, salt & pepper. Used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, (drained) in place of the fresh tomatoes. Will double the recipe next time. Excellent side dish with grilled chicken. Shared the recipe with a vegetarian friend.

I have made this recipe several times and it's always a big winner! I do double the amount of veggies though and use whatever looks good - my latest included leeks, lots of garlic, eggplant, zucchini, half a red pepper, sliced mushrooms and tomatoes. Yum! I also sautee spicy turkey sausage while the veggies cook and mix in the pasta before the bake as my husband won't touch a meal without meat. I generally don't pair the pasta with anything else as the addition of the meat and more veggies makes this a one dish wonder. The magazine said it should only take 40 minutes, but I consistently find it's really a 50-60 minute recipe when I'm making it - there are always plenty of leftovers and heats up well so this meal does "double duty" during the week one my once a week "night off" of cooking. One last tip: add a small amount of parm cheese to top & after baking the 15 minutes, turn your broiler on "High" and broil for 2-4 minutes to get the top nicely toated and browned - gorgeous!

Simple to make and turned out great, but it was a little bland. Next time, going to add crushed red peppers to add some kick.

Wonderful and simple dinner - lots of flavor. Great way to incorporate a veggie dinner into your routine!

eh. nothing special. Needs something to kick it up, as other reviewers. Perhaps spicy italian sausage, or a more flavorful cheese. the ricotta also cooked up curdled, and not the smooth creamy sauce I was hoping for.

I never ate squash or zucchini until I made this recipe. It made a believer out of me! This is hands down one of my favorite cooking light recipes! I share it with everyone and love to bring it to potlucks! Can't say enough good things about it! Commenting on another poster regarding the serving size - 1.5 cups is definitely realistic! It's more likely your perception of what a serving should be that is not realistic. Use a smaller plate so it seems like more food! Pair this with a salad and you have a filling meal.

LOVED it!! Only made 2 minor changes- 1.I used 1 cup of pasta, 2. I sprinkled the top with mozzarella. Kids and husband loved it! I'll be keeping and making this recipe. Even great for company,

My husband cooked this & loved it. He gave it a 4. I would give it a 3.

I was low on food in our home but had a tremendous amount of zucchini from my sons garden! I used all zucchini for this recipe instead of squash and zucchini. I was trying to use only what I had in the house at the time. So, for the tomatoes, I use a lg can of diced tomatoes. I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta because its what I had on hand. Even making these substitutions, the dish was wonderful and a hit with my family! The crushed red peppers give it a little bite and my family went for seconds! What a great way to use the zucchini that we were in an abundance of. Since then, I have cleaned, chopped, and measured zucchini into freezer bags to easily make this dish again! Thank you for the ideas Recipe.com!

very good recipe. I followed the directions, except I added 2 T fresh oregano instead of dried. My only complaint is that the serving sizes cited are so small!!! Not realistic at all.

This dish seemed rather bland. I know it's supposed to be 'light' but it still seemed to lack depth. Mozzarella & ricotta cheeses are bland by nature, but the fresh herbs didn't seem to pick up the dish. I like the idea of the veggies with pasta and cheese, but maybe a different kind of cheese might add that personality I'm looking for.

We were quite disappointed with this dish. It's got all the right ingredients and I followed the recipe exactly. But it came out extraordinarily dry and not nearly as cheesy as we had expected. I gave it two stars because it does have potential; but I won't make again.

Wow this is so good and so fresh tasting. I made it as a last minute option, looking for a recipe that had ingredients in it that I had in the fridge. I'm so glad to have found this one. It was so easy, and quick, to prepare. Even my boys loved it!

I make this at least once per week now. I use whatever veggies I have on hand. Chopped & sauteed spinach adds a nice twist and sometimes I add a couple extra garlic cloves. It is such an easy, versatile recipe. I have also tried it with fat free ricotta and it was great (fat free mozzarella not so much).

Yumadelic!! Did not have ricotta at my podunk general store so I subtituted cream cheese it worked out well. I would also suggest more pasta if you put in a bigger pan. Flavors melded well and worthy of several repeats!

I thought this was a good recipe. It tasted great and was pretty easy. A great vegetarian recipe for a weekday, but I don't know if it is a special occasion type meal. My fiance is out doing hurricane relief efforts, so I cut the recipe in half. Other than that I made it exactly how the recipe said and it was the perfect amount for dinner one day and lunch the next.

Just made this dish and it was great. I used mushrooms and red peppers instead of zucchini. I added more red pepper flakes and a little extra cheese. We enjoyed it witha tossed salad. It might be a good winter meal.

This was a big hit. Loved it! Like others I used whole wheat penne as that's what I had on hand (I thought the amount of pasta was fine). I also subbed in eggplant and mushrooms since I only had one zuchinni, kept everythig else the same except for baked it an extra five minutes in the oven to get the top nice and crunchy. Served with a simple green salad and white wine. Great weeknight meal and still had leftovers to take with us for lunch.

Great! Looks pretty and could make ahead and then bake as guests arrive. Next time I might add mushrooms. My husband thinks this would be really good with sausage, pepperoni and more cheese (but that certainly isn't a light version).

Added an extra clove of garlic and a little more mozarella on top. Other than that, followed the recipe. Really tasty. We had it as a side dish with grilled pork chops.

This recipe is great as is, but sometime I add some turkey sausage to make it heartier.

This recipe was delicious! Very filling but not a heavy pasta dish. I changed the recipe slightly; I used 2 cups of zucchini instead of 1 and used 1 cup of yellow squash instead of 2 cups. I did add a little more pasta than what it called for-I think it depends on if you like a lot of "sauce" or a little, but you can stretch this recipe by adding more pasta. I forgot to add the red pepper flakes.... I also made a mistake by adding the whole cup of mozzarella to the pan, but it turned out great!

I wanted something different and this fit the bill. Veggies are fresh and taste is wonderful. Double the recipe and serve a crowd.

Great flavorful dish, enjoyed by entire family! Added more ziti noodles, agree with previous comments 4 oz. was not enough.

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed this. Unfortunately I forgot the crushed red pepper, and we love spice. Next time I will definitely include it. I put in way more veggies than the recipe called for, and also added some mushrooms and red bell pepper. I also used a bit more pasta, and a bit more ricotta than called for. It was delicious, and huge portions. We will definitely make this one again. Once the chopping's done, it's easy to throw together.

We thought this was delightful. I added some baby bella mushrooms since we had them on hand. Good flavor and consistency for a baked pasta

Absolutely delicious. One of the best to date. I even quadrupled the ingredients for a 4 quart casserole dish, and it was still outstanding.

This was delicious. I used whole wheat pasta and an Italian cheese blend, because that is what I had on hand. Turned out wonderful. I carried some for luch. I love most recipies made with yellow squash and zucchini. It was really colorful.

This was delicious. I grilled the veggies and then cut them up. Didn't have tomatoes so I used 2 cups of homemede tomato sauce that i had made from fresh tomato. Used extra pasta and extra cheese.

This was really tasty! I doubled the recipe and used cottage cheese instead of ricotta (and a bit more than called for) I added fresh parsley and a couple tablespoons of pesto because I didn't have enough fresh basil. I used dried oregano, more red pepper flakes, egg substitute,more garlic, whole wheat penne, and because I ran out of tomatoes I used about 2 1/2 cups fresh chopped tomato and then one 14 ounce can of fire roasted chopped tomato (drained). Baked just a bit longer since I doubled. This was super cheesy and full of flavor with my changes. Just a note, this probably wouldn't serve 4. The doubled batch I made fed 6. I'm giving it 4 stars because without my changes it might have been a bit bland.

I loved this. I might top it with something crunchy, maybe some bread crumbs to add a different texture. My son thought it needed a protein, maybe some chicken or shrimp, and I might try that next time.

With a little extra garlic and ricotta, topped with feta, this recipe is outstanding! I also subbed rotini pasta for the ziti, as it was already in the pantry. Perfect use of my garden veggies. Will definitely make again.

I would actually give it a 3.5 stars. It was really easy to make and my kids even enjoyed it. I did follow the suggestion of boosting the crushed red pepper to 1/4. I will definitely make it again. I thought the dressing for the side salad was way too lemony, though.

This didn't thrill me. The flavor just wasn't very exciting. I would have liked it better with the addition of chicken or sausage. I also thought that the oregano was overpowering, but then, a little oregano goes a long way for me. I won't make this again.

great quick and easy recipe for weeknights. I added a bit more zuke and a bit more cheese the second time I made it.

Absolutly delicious! Doubled the recipe as an earlier reviewer suggested. I have to admit I did make 2 alterations...used canned, no salt added, chopped tomatoes; drained the jc. from tomatoes & mixed it w/ a tablespoon of tomato paste (felt it needed some sort of sauce base); also added fully cooked chopped chicken breast (husband won't eat a meal w/o meat). Served with CL, Creamy Ceasar Salad w/ Spicey Croutons. Will def. make again; good casserole to feed a crowd.

We're not real crazy about this. It's lacking the wow factor we've come to expect from CL, even though it's cheap and easy and uses easy-to-find ingredients. Not likely we'll be making this again.

I wasn't as big of a fan as most others on here. Even with the fresh veggies and herbs there was something missing. Maybe more ricotta as others suggested? I also thought it clumped up and didn't look entirely appetizing.

Great recipe & great way to use our zucchini and squash (which are out of control in our garden). Similar to previous reviews, I added a bit more pasta. I used 6 oz of mini penne pasta. Also added an extra 2-3 tablespoons of the ricotta. Served it with a green salad and a small piece of garlic bread. With the little bit of extra pasta this definitely made 4 servings with portions to our liking.

We really enjoyed this dish. You might want to double the recipe for a 9 X 13 instead of an 8 X 8. I used all things out of my garden with the exception of tomatoes. I didin't have any so I substituted a drained can of diced tomatoes with chilis (to give it a zip). I used penne instead of ziti. Will be making this again soon!

Very tasty and simple. I used Barilla Plus pasta for added protein. Will make this as a side dish for the Holidays.

This was a great dish that my husband and 11 month old couldn't get enough of. I gave the leftovers to my 11 month old and she would devour every bit of it. It was a light dish that didn't take long at all to make. I will definitely be making this again.

Made this recipe last week using dried herbs instead of the fresh and used drained diced tomatoes. It was very good, my partner ate a lot more than her share. In fact, we are making it again tonight. I think we might add some chopped mushrooms along with the other vegetables. This is definately a keeper for us.

the natural sweetness of the veges really star in this dish. Hubby and son liked it too.

I made this last night after I read some of the reviews. I doubled the ricotta and used cherry tomatoes with the zuchinni(s). Wonderful once again! Cooking light you never fail me.

This recipe was delicious!! I followed it exactly and didn't change a thing. My husband also really enjoyed it, so I will be making it again.

Amazing- even with a finicky 1st trimester stomach I was able to cook this and devour it!

Yummy. So easy and lite. Added mushrooms and crushed red pepper for a little zip!

Husband loved this and wants it again!! I followed the recipe mostly - used about the same quantities of yellow squash and zucchini instead of 2 to 1. Awesome!! A keeper for sure.

A lovely summer casserole. My only issue was i had with this recipe was that I feel you needed to double the amount of pasta, but still outstanding. The fresh herbs really make it!

Excellent recipe. Since we like a variety of veggies, I included the eggplant and the squash. I doubled the recipe and used a drained can of fire-roasted tomatoes and a can of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh. I also added sliced (and skillet browned) chicken italian sausage to make it more hearty. Prior to baking, I added 8oz of tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano to the mix as well. Delicious!

I used eggplant instead of yellow squash, as suggested, because that is what my husband and I prefer. He had seconds, so I think this recipe is a keeper

So good!! We added fresh herbs & veggies from our garden. It is a wow!

Very happy with this for my lunch box. Used whole wheat penne, doubled the entire recipe (for freezing!), switched out a cup of summer squash for frozen spinach, dried oregano, and doubled the crushed red pepper. Reheats nicely. Tasty and filling. Would be great for hosting dinner (cheap and easy!).

I made this last night with zucchini and tomatoes from the garden - this was really good. I doubled the receipe and added a little extra cheese because I really like cheese, This is a keeper

I followed the recipe except for subbing half a cup of feta crumbled feta for the topping. I used the larger amount of crushed red pepper, which it made it quite zingy!

Everyone had seconds and my daughter is the only vegetarian so this is a keeper. I put this together during the day and refrigerated it till dinner time so I think this could easily be made a day ahead. I used brown rice penne pasta. I added some asparagus, crimini mushrooms, and broccoli which all worked great. I dislike Ricotta cheese but I did not mind it in this at all. I also used a 4 cheese blend and added in some crumbled goat cheese. The called for seasoning is good but don't be afraid to kick up the salt and the red pepper a bit. It was a warm summer night and this was not to heavy for such an evening. Served it with fresh sweet corn on the cob. Yummy

My seven-year old asked for seconds and deemed this a "keeper!" I used whole wheat penne and added another cup or so of squash/zucchini (we belong to a farmer's cooperative and have ALOT of summer veggies.) and a little extra garlic...it was so delicious!

This was a quick and easy pasta recipe that was delicious and had lots of great veggies. I highly recommend it for any time you are looking for a healthy pasta alternative. I am not a big fan of yellow squash so I used two zucchini and only one yellow squash. I also added 6 oz of pasta instead of 4.

I was pleasantly surprised by the tastiness of this recipe. I used 6 instead of 4 oz of pasta, and 1 t. each of dried herbs since I didn't have fresh. I would also try adding a shredded chicken breast instead of the additional pasta next time. Yum yum!

Great recipe. I made it exactly as written. I would add a little more garlic next time. I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan. We love leftovers, and I'm anticipating this will be even better the second night!

Excellent! Used whole wheat penne (about 2 cups dried) and an italian cheese blend rather than the mozzarella because it's what I had on hand. I also added one link of italian sausage (crumbled and sauteed it with the vegetables) and it was great! A great healthier version of what is usually a high-fat, calorie packed dish. It looks like a LOT of vegetables when chopping them up, but they cook down quite a bit and really blend well with the pasta. Serving sizes are very generous, but I might have added too much pasta.

Made this tonight and it was excellent; loved the flavors. I don't normally like squash of any kind and I scarfed my helping down. The only change I made was I used dried herbs instead of fresh (tsp of each). Will probably go down to 3/4 tsp of each tomorrow when I make it again.

This was awesome! Even my husband, who insists there should be meat with every meal, loved it!!! He kept going back for more!!! My 15 month old ate it too. =)