Baked Ziti
with lemon garlic broccoli

Name: Baked Ziti
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 cloves Garlic, crushed or minced; 1 bulb Shallots (small), diced; 1 Tbsp Oil, cooking; 1 can Tomatoes, crushed (28 oz / 794 g); 1/2 Tbsp Brown sugar; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 8 oz Pasta, gluten-free ziti (sub penne); 1/4 cup Cheese, parmesan (opt; it’s okay to skip this unless you already have it on hand) , grated; 8 oz Cheese, fresh mozzarella (or mozzarella "pearls"), cubed; 1 1/2 cup Cheese, light ricotta; ~4 cups Marinara (ingredients listed separately); 1 clove Garlic, chopped; 8 oz Broccoli, florets, chopped; 2 Tbsp Water; 2 tsp Lemon juice

Active: 25 min Total: 45 min

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

Baked ziti is a weeknight-friendly alternative to lasagna. No fussy lasagna noodles but all the warm, cheesy goodness. A bit of prep and these vegetarian layers of sauce, pasta and cheese come together in a flash.
Smarts: This makes a great freezer meal, so double the recipe and freeze it in a sealed casserole dish.

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Marinara Sauce:

Garlic - 2 cloves , crushed or minced
Shallots (small) - 1 bulb , diced
Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
Tomatoes, crushed (28 oz / 794 g) - 1 can
Brown sugar - 1/2 Tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Baked Ziti:

Pasta, gluten-free ziti (sub penne) - 8 oz
Cheese, parmesan (opt; it’s okay to skip this unless you already have it on hand) - 1/4 cup , grated
Cheese, fresh mozzarella (or mozzarella "pearls") - 8 oz , cubed
Cheese, light ricotta - 1 1/2 cup
Marinara (ingredients listed separately) - ~4 cups

Lemon Garlic Broccoli:

Garlic - 1 clove , chopped
Broccoli, florets - 8 oz , chopped
Water - 2 Tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Prep

Garlic (for both the marinara and broccoli) / Shallots - Prep as directed and combine garlic and shallots for the marinara. Store garlic for the broccoli in a separate container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Cook pasta - (If prepping right before cooking, turn oven on before continuing with prep.) Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, tender but not soggy. Drain. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Broccoli / Parmesan / Mozzarella - Prep as directed and store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

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Make

Heat oven to 350F (177C) degrees.
While oven heats place a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then garlic (the portion for the marinara) and shallots to heated oil. Saute for ~2 minutes and then add crushed tomatoes with brown sugar, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for ~4 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Brush a 8” / 20cm square baker (this is for 4 servings; use a loaf pan if making 2 servings; use a 15” / 38cm rectangular baker if making 8 servings; or use individual ramekins for any number of servings) with some cooking oil.
Add half the pasta to baking dish with a spoonful of marinara and toss to combine. Top pasta with half the remaining marinara, then half the ricotta and half the mozzarella. Add remaining pasta, marinara, ricotta and mozzarella. Top with parmesan cheese, if using. Transfer to the oven.
Bake until mozzarella is melted and top is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
While pasta bakes, heat a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add broccoli, garlic (portion for the broccoli) and water to heated pan and cover tightly with a lid or foil. Steam broccoli until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. (Alternatively, steam broccoli and garlic in microwave-safe pan covered with a damp paper towel, 2 ½ to 3 minutes on high.)
Season broccoli with lemon juice and some salt and pepper.
When pasta is finished cooking, serve it with broccoli on the side. Enjoy!

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Baked Ziti with lemon garlic broccoli