Heart Healthy Vegetable Baked Ziti Recipe

               
Vegetable Baked Ziti brings homestyle Italian and heart-healthy ingredients together in one luscious casserole dish. The result is a Parmesan-topped masterpiece of cheesy noodles and tender veggies that you’re sure to love.
Bread icon
Ingredients
Recipe yields 8 servings
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp dried Italian herb mix or herbes de Provence
1/2 lb multigrain ziti or penne
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28-oz) no salt added crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Play icon
Directions
Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°.

Step 2

On a baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, zucchini, squash, and onion strips with 1 tsp of the olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, black pepper to taste and the dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling water, cook pasta over medium-high heat until just tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Step 4

In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until onion is softened. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste and parsley and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5

In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, reserved vegetables, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and all but 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce. In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spread the remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Pour in pasta mixture and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Time: 120 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 224
Make this for: Healthy Kids
Play icon
Nutrition facts
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Per serving:
calories:224
total fat:6g
sat fat:2g
cholesterol:10mg
sodium:219mg
total carb:33g
fibers:2g
sugars:4g
proteins:10g

You might also like

About This Healthy Recipe

Baked ziti is a classic Italian meal, and when you fill this dish with vegetables, it becomes a healthy pasta recipe that’s loaded with flavor. The ziti is accented by chunks of roasted summer squash, zucchini, peppers and onion along with flavorful Italian herbs in a vibrant tomato sauce. The vegetables add heart-healthy goodness, instilling the pasta dish with loads of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. This healthy Italian casserole will be a favorite of kids of all ages, and as a parent, you’ll feel good knowing they’re getting a hefty dose of healthy vegetables without complaining. If you’re watching your weight, you’ll also be happy to know that this low-calorie pasta recipe only has 224 calories per serving. Your heart will also thank you because there is only 2g of saturated fat and 219mg of sodium in each serving – those are some pretty impressive numbers for a pasta dish that’s traditionally smothered in cheese.

Welcome to Health eCooks™! We cook your favorite foods healthier!

Health eCooks™ showcases hundreds of chef-tested and dietitian-reviewed recipes that are as nutritious as they are delicious. A subsidiary of Baldwin Publishing, Inc., our healthy recipes have been viewed by millions of people on over 900 health websites and in 450,000 healthy cookbooks. Our goal is to inspire you with recipes that aren’t just good for you—they taste good, too!

Who are we?

We are professional chefs, registered dietitians and food editors and for more than two decades we’ve created healthy recipes and how-to-cook videos. We’ve published nearly half a million healthy cookbooks for the medical brands Americans trust with their lives.

Chef-tested recipes

| Every recipe has been tested (and tasted!) by professional chefs in our Health eCooks™ test kitchen.

Dietitian-reviewed recipes

| All recipes carry a stamp of approval by registered dietitians who ensure they adhere to rigorous health and medical standards.

We make it easy so you can cook it healthy!

Recipe Reviews
Reviews for  Vegetable Baked Ziti

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Heart Healthy Vegetable Baked Ziti Recipe

Ingredients
Recipe yields 8 servings
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp dried Italian herb mix or herbes de Provence
1/2 lb multigrain ziti or penne
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28-oz) no salt added crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°.

Step 2

On a baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, zucchini, squash, and onion strips with 1 tsp of the olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, black pepper to taste and the dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling water, cook pasta over medium-high heat until just tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Step 4

In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until onion is softened. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste and parsley and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5

In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, reserved vegetables, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and all but 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce. In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spread the remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Pour in pasta mixture and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Share to Email