Name: Vegetarian Italian Baked Ziti
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 185 min
Total time: 220 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped; 1 medium white onion, chopped; 1 medium bell pepper, chopped; 2 stalks celery, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 (28 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce; 2 large tomatoes, chopped; 1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley; 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 0.5 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta; 2 cups cottage cheese; 1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese; 0.75 cup non-dairy Parmesan cheese substitute; 1 large egg, slightly beaten; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper

Vegetarian Italian Baked Ziti

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A long simmered sauce with mushrooms and vegetables flavors this rich, meatless Italian dish. Don't let the cook time fool you--while the sauce is simmering and the ziti is baking, you can relax!

Recipe by laura

Published on July 17, 2011

Prep Time:

35 mins

Cook Time:

3 hrs 5 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 40 mins

Servings:

Yield:

10 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
¾ cup non-dairy Parmesan cheese substitute
1 large egg, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; saute until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, parsley, 1 teaspoon oregano, and basil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan.
Just before the sauce is finished, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
Combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of the Parmesan substitute, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix remaining Parmesan substitute and 1/2 teaspoon oregano in another small bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer 1/3 cup ziti, 1 cup sauce, and 1/3 cottage cheese mixture; repeat layers twice more. Top with any remaining sauce, then sprinkle with oregano-Parmesan blend.
Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 1 hour.

Cook's Note:

For the marinara, I like to use Newman's Own(R) Sockarooni(TM) sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

353	Calories
16g	Fat
37g	Carbs
17g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Calories 353
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16g	20%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 36mg	12%
Sodium 781mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	13%
Dietary Fiber 8g	27%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 18mg	89%
Calcium 139mg	11%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 501mg	11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.