Baked Ziti with Vegetables and Mushrooms

7 Reviews
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8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
By David Ricketts
March 2001
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

A favorite in many homes on "Italian night," baked ziti is usually laden with meat and cheese. This version relies on the flavors of mushrooms and spinach instead.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped portobello, cremini, or button mushrooms
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 7 cups torn spinach (about 1/2 pound)
  • 3 cups hot cooked ziti (about 2 1/4 cups uncooked short tube-shaped pasta)
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 237
  • Caloriesfromfat 24%
  • Fat 6.3g
  • Satfat 2.5g
  • Monofat 2.4g
  • Polyfat 0.8g
  • Protein 11.6g
  • Carbohydrate 35g
  • Fiber 4.5g
  • Cholesterol 12mg
  • Iron 3.8mg
  • Sodium 588mg
  • Calcium 213mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°.

Step 2

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell peppers, and sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in basil, salt, black pepper, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Stir in pasta. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dollop with ricotta.

Step 3

Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Step 4

Note: To make ahead, assemble casserole as directed. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, and bake as directed.

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Ratings & Reviews

bramma's Review

jebavonct48
March 12, 2014
My fussy spouse enjoyed this the first time I served it, which was fine. The clincher is that when I reheated the frozen leftovers some weeks later he raved! That is unusual. When I said I would save the recipe he agreed wholeheartedly. I served it with a simple salad with cherry pie for dessert.m. A hit!

jebavonct48's Review

EllenDeller
November 11, 2013
N/A

ChefLeesher's Review

rtallerico
October 03, 2012
N/A

EllenDeller's Review

bramma
February 26, 2012
I made half the recipe in an 8x8 pan, and we enjoyed it as a family meal. I substituted an anaheim pepper for the bell (for a little zip) and added chopped fresh basil and oregano. I also stirred about one TB pesto into the sauce. Another important change: layered the ricotta in between two layers of spinach mixture to keep it moist, then topped with grated sharp provolone instead of parmesan. With those flavor intensifiers, it made a nice dinner along with a romaine/arugula salad and crunchy breadsticks.

rtallerico's Review

ChefLeesher
April 21, 2011
Great recipe and great way to get veggies into my hubby! I do add two links of sausage.