Melted Zucchini Baked Ziti.
Oh guys. I am super super into melted zucchini baked ziti right now.
Pretty sure this is my summer love language.
It’s been my little secret in the kitchen for the last few weeks. It’s a dish we’ve eaten constantly. Eddie is thisssss close to being sick of it because I’ve made it so much. Oh well! More for me.
Plus look at all that green! And garlic! Totally an excellent way to eat veggies.
I absolutely love this method of cooking zucchini. It melts into an almost-sauce. You sauté it with some olive oil, salt and garlic and is melts into zucchini strands that are soft and flavorful and kind of caramelized!
It’s SO good.
I’ve made a zucchini sauce recipe before from bon appetit, but a few weeks ago my friend Flavia started making a version of the zucchini pasta on her instagram. It got me SO excited for summer and all the uses for zucchini. Other than this summer squash brown butter pasta, another huge fave.
And this one is great because you can use up a LOT of zucchini squash. For instance, I like to make this sauce with four or five whole zucchini. They melt down so much (almost like when you cook onions) that you will be shocked!
Also! This baked ziti is for all my friends who are usually very underwhelmed by baked ziti. Hi. It’s me! Right?!
There are a few variations of baked ziti that are incredible, and actually I have another one coming in my book next year. But on the regular, it’s just not like there is much going on and if you don’t love tomato sauce, it can be even more underwhelming! Hi. Me again.
This is the solution.
A summery baked pasta. It’s perfect as a side dish for a party or amazing for dinner with a big greens salad. I’ve probably made this dish ten times in the last month, giving it away to friends and family with abandon. Pretty sure come the end of the summer with zucchini is everywhere, I’ll have a bunch at my doorstep!
Here’s the scoop:
It’s still simple and flavorful, almost like a naked pasta. Noodles, zucchini, garlic and olive oil. Some pesto stirred in towards the end. Any variety you like! Loaded up with parmesan, ricotta and fresh mozzarella. Tons of chopped fresh basil too!
Make it in a skillet for weeknight dinner, or make it in a baking dish to take to a cookout as the side dish.
Oh and I actually have another skillet lasagna coming next week that is similar and oh so good – with other flavors that just scream summer.
Anywayyyy… you bake it for just a bit to bring everything together. Then eat the cheesy goodness.
Simple, flavorful and so insanely good!
Melted Zucchini Baked Ziti
Melted Zucchini Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti pasta, or similar cut noodle
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 4 medium zucchini squash, sliced into rounds or chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- 1 cup packed fresh basil, plus extra for topping
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Be sure to reserve the ½ cup of the pasta water after cooking!
- Heat a large skillet (you can do an oven safe one if you don’t want to transfer) over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the zucchini, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini cook down and sort of melt into the pan. Stir in the red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the reserved pasta water and the pesto. Stir in the fresh basil. By this time the pasta should be finished. You can either add everything to a baking dish or add it all to the skillet if it’s large enough. Toss the pasta with the zucchini pesto mixture - whether it’s in the dish or skillet.
- Add the ricotta cheese in scoops throughout the pasta. Toss it together until the ricotta coats most of the pasta. Add the fresh mozzarella - a few slices in the noodles and a few on top too.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, just until the cheese melts everything comes together. Remove and serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan and fresh basil for garnish.
Did you make this recipe?
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Plus, veggies!
20 Comments on “Melted Zucchini Baked Ziti.”
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I always enjoy you easy recipes!
This looks delicious! Normally I’m not a big zucchini fan but covered in cheese and mixed with pasta? You’re speaking my language, lady!!
Any idea approximately how many pounds of zucchini you used here? The ones people give out can be so varied in size.
Thank you!
Okay I had to reply to this comment just because the phrase “the ones people give out” made me laugh because YES! I feel like I hardly ever have to pay for zucchini during the summer between my own garden and people thrusting their extras onto me.
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Really good! I doubled the red pepper.
This pasta was so dreamy. If I could give it 7 stars, I would. Serious summer perfection. I thought it was going to be a bit dry when I put it in the oven, but it came out perfectly with all of the layers of melty cheese holding it together. The pesto and red pepper were also just the right amounts. Highly recommend!
Made this last night (halved the recipe) and it was delicious! Can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch today!
Would this freeze?
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Absolutely amazing and incredibly refreshing!!!
OMG – I hate to put the oven on in the summer BUT I will definitely make an exception with this recipe. With a green salad, this will be perfect. Thank you,
Had a ton of squash (zucchini) from my garden I wanted to put up in a dish for future meals. I modified this recipe a little. I would guess used about 6 cups roughtly chopped zucchini. Included one chopped shallot with the garlic (at least 5 or 6 cloves not 4) and had some leftover grilled chicken I cubed and added when mixing the zucchini pesto with the ziti. I used my own homemade pesto, (3 icecube tray pieces) probably 4 or 5 tablespoons not 3. Closer to 16 oz of ricotta. My intent was to make a dinner for 2 that would have leftovers to freeze. We had enough leftovers for 2 more hearty meals for 2. My husband and I absolutely loved this dinner. Felt like I was in Italy again. Their pasta dishes are so different from ours. No heavy sauces. I would highly recommend this recipe as a good choice for a summer meal and for freezing zucchini.
If I use a baking dish, what size do I need? 9×13? Something in between an 8×8 and 9×13?
Made it several times, always good. Even my veggie-averse boyfriend is a fan
Family loved this!! My zucchini hater inhaled it and zucchini lovers were literally coming in and out of kitchen asking about delicious smell! One said she especially liked fresh basil incorporated throughout. Thanks!!