This delightful and nourishing Healthy Baked Ziti recipe is brimming with fresh vegetables, savory turkey sausage, and creates an ideal weeknight dinner that the entire family will adore! Leftovers are a certainty!
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If you cherish cozy comfort cuisine but seek a lighter and healthier option, you are going to ADORE this Healthy Baked Ziti recipe! It offers all the taste and heartiness typical of a classic ziti dish, yet it’s healthier thanks to lean turkey sausage, protein-rich cottage cheese, whole grain pasta, and a mix of fresh vegetables. Traditional baked ziti incorporates a ricotta cheese blend, but you’ll appreciate the creamy consistency of the cottage cheese. An effortless weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy, especially on those hectic evenings!
Why You’ll Adore this Recipe
- Healthier Option – the quintessential comfort food revamped to be lightened and stuffed with over 30 grams of protein per serving due to turkey sausage and cottage cheese!
- Customizable – change out the vegetables, pick your preferred pasta shape, and revamp the protein to easily tailor this dish to your preference.
- Delightful for a Crowd – this baked ziti is family-friendly, great for freezing, and ideal for gatherings.
- Fantastic for Meal Prep – this baked pasta dish yields the best leftovers and reheats splendidly without compromising on texture or flavor. The noodles absorb so much goodness!
Ingredients You Will Need
- ziti noodles – the ideal tube pasta shape to capture all that sauce and cheese, though you can opt for gluten-free pasta or whichever pasta you prefer.
- sauce – the key to the fantastic flavor of this sauce is a combo of marinara sauce and vodka sauce! I favor Rao’s brand for jarred pasta sauce.
- cottage cheese – this replaces whole milk ricotta cheese, but you honestly wouldn’t realize it! It’s full of protein and gives this ziti a rich creaminess.
- additional cheese – we’re also incorporating a blend of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese for even more cheesy delight!
- veggies – I used a mix of diced onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach, but feel free to use any vegetables you prefer.
- turkey sausage – I enjoy using flavorful turkey sausage as it’s a leaner choice, but feel free to opt for regular sausage, lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- garlic – you can use fresh chopped garlic or minced garlic from a jar.
- seasonings – you’ll require Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper for this recipe.
- fresh basil – the ideal herb to finish this dish!
How to Prepare Healthy Baked Ziti
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with some nonstick spray.
Step 2: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle a small amount of olive oil and brown the turkey sausage, cooking until crumbled and slightly browned.
Step 3: Next, incorporate the chopped onion, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt/pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and then stir in 1 cup of both the marinara sauce and vodka sauce. Allow that to simmer while you cook the ziti pasta.
Step 4: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, cook the ziti noodles until al dente, according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. When done, drain the water using a colander, then place the pasta in the baking dish.
Step 5: Turn off the heat for the veggie marinara mixture and mix in the spinach leaves, stirring until they begin to wilt. Layer this mixture over the noodles in the baking dish.
Step 6: Add the remaining marinara and vodka sauce, cottage cheese, and parmesan cheese. Combine everything until evenly mixed. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Step 7: Cover the ziti with foil and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges. Remove the foil and broil for 1-2 minutes to achieve a golden and bubbly top.
Step 8: Take out from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and savor!
Variations and Substitutions
- Pasta – in case you don’t have ziti noodles, feel free to opt for a similar shape such as rotini, penne, or fusilli pasta. Lentil or chickpea pasta are superb for added protein and fiber.
- Veggies – this baked ziti incorporates diced onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach, but feel free to include any vegetables of your choice. Carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, and eggplant make excellent additions.
- Protein – skip the turkey sausage and use whichever ground meat suits your taste, such as ground turkey, ground beef, chicken, or even Italian sausage.
- Cheese – feel free to utilize any type of cheese blend you wish in this baked ziti recipe!
How to Serve
This simple baked ziti is packed with vegetables, but I adore serving it with even more fresh veggies or a salad on the side along with some crusty garlic bread. Here are some of my favorite accompaniments:
Can This Be Prepared Ahead of Time?
Indeed, you can! That’s one of the great aspects of baked ziti! Here are some tips for preparing this dish ahead of time:
- Prepare in Advance: Follow the instructions and make everything as directed up until adding the mozzarella cheese. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. I do not recommend topping with shredded cheese until just before placing the ziti into the oven.
- Reheating from Fridge: Take the ziti out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes before baking, or simply add an extra 20 to 30 minutes of baking time.
- Make Ahead and Freeze: This also makes for a fantastic freezer meal! As mentioned above, assemble the ziti as specified (excluding the cheese topping) and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, cover tightly with foil and freeze. When you wish to enjoy it, allow it to thaw overnight, then top with cheese and bake as instructed.
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Prepping and Storage
To Store: This healthy baked ziti will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil. When ready to enjoy leftovers, simply reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through or warm in the microwave.
To Freeze: This baked ziti also freezes exceptionally well! Be sure to let the ziti cool completely and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. You can keep the ziti in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Pasta Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Easy Baked Ziti recipe! If you love it as much as we do, kindly leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I enjoy seeing all your wonderful recreations!
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with a touch of nonstick spray.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle a little olive oil and brown the turkey sausage until crumbled and lightly cooked.
Next, mix in the chopped onion, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt/pepper. Sauté everything until the vegetables are tender, then add in 1 cup each of the marinara sauce and vodka sauce. Allow it to simmer as you prepare the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, cook the ziti noodles until al dente, based on package instructions, stirring occasionally. When done, drain the water with a colander, and transfer the pasta to the casserole dish.
Turn off the heat of the veggie marinara mixture and stir in the spinach leaves until they start to wilt. Then, transfer this blend over the noodles in the baking dish.
Pour in the remaining marinara and vodka sauce, along with the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until well combined. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover the ziti with foil and place it in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges. Remove the foil and broil for 1-2 minutes to achieve a golden and bubbly top.
Take out from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Serving: 1/8th of recipe | Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.3g | Protein: 31.3g | Fat: 23.4g | Saturated Fat: 6.7g | Sodium: 960mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
