My family went nuts for this dish. They’re huge pasta lovers and the cheese sauce made with three cheeses sealed the deal.
The sauce that coats the pasta is so cheesy, rich, and full of flavor. Anytime you’ve got three great cheeses like mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan melted together, things are going to be good. Throw in some browned onions, garlic, and juicy tomatoes and it’s a total win.
The recipe is easy and you can prep it up to 2 days in advance and bake it off when you’re ready.
It makes an ample amount which is great for planned leftovers. And the leftovers freeze well for hectic nights when all you can manage is pulling something from the freezer. I love having a few get-out-of-jail-free-cards stashed in my freezer.
Rather than using heavy cream in the cheese sauce I used Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk. It’s so irresistibly creamy and thick but with fewer calories than skim milk. Eating more plant-based protein is a great goal and Silk Cashewmilk or Silk Almond Milk are my milks of choice for baking, smoothies, and sauces.
They’re so low in calories and fat, they’re vegan and dairy-free, and I always get impressive-tasting results. It’s the perfect match between tasty and guilt-free.
The lightly golden brown cheese on top was the first thing to be devoured.
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Three Cheese Baked Ziti
The sauce that coats the pasta is so cheesy, rich, and full of flavor. Anytime you’ve got three great cheeses like mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan melted together, things are going to be good. Throw in some browned onions, garlic, and juicy tomatoes and it’s a total win. The recipe is easy and you can prep it up to 2 days in advance and bake it off when you’re ready. It makes an ample amount which is great for planned leftovers. And the leftovers freeze well for hectic nights when all you can manage is pulling something from the freezer.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ziti, cooked according to package directions
- one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used no-salt-added garlic and oregano-infused tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- one 14-ounce can low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 cup Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk (Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
- 4 ounces fontina cheese, grated
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat-left parsley or fresh basil, finely minced for garnishing, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, transfer to a large bowl, add the tomatoes, and stir to combine.
- Transfer pasta and tomatoes to a 3-quart baking dish sprayed with cooking spray (a 9×13-inch baking pan may be substituted); set aside.
- To a large saucepan, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
- Add the onion and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden brown. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Add the vegetable stock, Cashewmilk, flour, pepper, and bring mixture to a rapid boil while whisking nearly constantly, or until no flour lumps remain. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for about 5 minutes and sauce has reduced and thickened some.
- Slowly add the cheeses, whisking constantly to incorporate. After cheeses have melted, pour cheese sauce over pasta in prepared dish. Cover with foil and at this point you can refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking or bake now.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F, and bake covered (keep the foil on) for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is as lightly golden browned and bubbly as desired. Prior to serving, optionally garnish with parsley or basil. Serve immediately. Extra ziti will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat leftovers gently as necessary.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 759mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 20g
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This is my go to baked ziti! Super good as it’s written, but I’ve subbed out the cashew milk before for skim with success, I’ve added kale and sausage and I’ve used a bunch of different pasta noodles. Always such a hit and freezes so well. Thank you!
Thanks for the five star review and glad this is your go to baked ziti and that you’ve made some swaps with nice success!
Hi Averie
LOVE your recipes
Do you know the calories in the 3 cheese baked Ziti ?
I don’t know it. Updating my recipes one by one to reflect nutritional stats. I have about 1500 more to go.
Regarding “14-ounce can low-sodium vegetable stock” … what’s that in proper measurements please? You know, like liquid measurement, because, well, it’s liquid.
cheers.
Exactly that, a 14-oz can. If you find a 15-oz can, that will be fine.
You can consult Google for your questions regarding liquid measurements.
Did you drain the tomatoes?
No
Outstanding Baked Ziti, my company loved it.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Wow Averie you are awesome and your recipes are mind blowing. These baked ziti are seems wonderful. Can’t wait i am going to make these recipes.
Keep posting these recipes.
Regards
Sania
I’m not a great cook and my son has nondairy allergies so I’m not sure about the cashew milk. I was wondering what regular milk product I could substitute for the cashew milk.
Any milk you already use that works for your needs, almond milk, rice, etc. Or just regular 2% milk type of thing. Not sure exactly what works for you and what doesn’t but just go with what you know!
My mouth was watering after reading the first paragraph! You can’t go wrong with these ingredients. And I LOVE that it freezes well! My Christmas gifts (shhhhhh) to my Mom and sis this year are a bunch of freezer meals and now this will be one of them! Thanks, Averie!
Oh! That looks wonderful!
I love easy dinners that can be prepped in advance!! LOVE this cheesy dish :)
Make-ahead dinners are my salvation many nights! I know you can relate :)
For some reason I can just have eaten but when I look at your photos I want to eat all over again. This pasta dish looks so good. I like a dish that can make everyone happy meat eaters and vegetarians.
I can’t wait to make this! I love your choice of cheeses and adding the onion, garlic and tomatoes! I have been looking for a meatless baked ziti, and this one seems perfect.
You’ll never miss the meat here! Enjoy :)
OK, I’m getting behind on all of your recipes that I want to try. This looks like comfort food at its finest.
Pure comfort food for sure!
Wow! What yummy, cheesy goodness!
This is fall comfort food perfection right here!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
That is a casserole full of comfort. My kind of meal!!
Oh my gosh, this totally reminds me of a dinner I used to make but haven’t in so long. Same concept (with penne) and all sorts of cheese and tomato sauce. This looks like heaven!
Resurrect your old dinner because it’s ones like these that everyone gobbles up and are easy and you get leftovers out of the deal :)
@Averie
Hi
So cheesy and yummy that mozzarella cheese looks so sticky and delicious.
A good combination of pasta and cheese . Brilliant
This looks delicious, Averie! Might have to make this when my boyfriend’s family come to town next week ;) Especially as it’s vegetarian, and I am one, and they are not…but this should still satisfy!
Just want to also say I am loving the new look of your website. Looking good!
Thanks for the compliments on my site! This is one of those vegetarian meals that no one will miss the meat! So cheesy and satisfying!
Anything one cheese can do, 3 cheese can do betterrrr!
That’s actually my life motto. So, obviously I need these ziti in my life..especially since I STILL need to try cashew milk. I’ve heard such good things! Looks amazing Averie – pinned!
I love your life motto and I’m totally with you! :) Thanks for pinning!
Pasta and cheese is wonderful comfort food and leftovers are a must around here because we both take lunch to work. Jon has always liked ziti–lots of extra space for the sauce to get in. This looks delicious!!
Those little tubes are the perfect vehicle for extra sauce, which I am all about too! :)
Holy comfort food, Batman! I love the use of cashew milk in this as well– I can’t do tons of dairy, but I can’t resist cheese, so I love that this is a little less hard-hitting with the cow products!
I’m with you, I’d rather than my dairy in the form of cheese than actual milk when I have it!