A hearty baked ziti loaded with roasted seasonal vegetables and finished with a crisp, sesame-flecked breadcrumb topping.
Baked ziti is a Southern Italian-American classic, built on ricotta, mozzarella, and a good tomato sauce baked together with tubular pasta until bubbling and set. This version folds in roasted vegetables — a genuinely Italian instinct of using what the harvest provides — and finishes with a crisp breadcrumb topping given an unusual but pleasant crunch from toasted sesame seeds. The pasta is boiled shy of al dente since it continues cooking in the oven, absorbing sauce and firming up rather than turning to mush. Ricotta mixed with egg and Parmesan creates pockets of creamy richness throughout the bake, while roasted zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper add texture and sweetness that a plain meat sauce wouldn't provide. The breadcrumb-sesame topping, toasted separately before scattering over the top, gives the final bake a genuine crunch that contrasts with the soft, cheesy interior — the kind of textural contrast that makes a casserole taste finished rather than just hot and cheesy.
Serves 6
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper with 2 tbsp olive oil and salt. Roast on a sheet pan 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
Boil pasta in well-salted water 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente, since it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain.
In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, half the Parmesan, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, toss the pasta with marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, ricotta mixture, and half the mozzarella.
Transfer to a baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Mix breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Scatter evenly over the top.
Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden and crisp. Let rest 10 minutes, then scatter fresh basil over the top before serving.
Undercook the pasta slightly before baking — it continues absorbing sauce and cooking in the oven, and fully cooked pasta turns mushy by the time the bake is done.
Toast the sesame seeds briefly in a dry pan before mixing with breadcrumbs for a deeper, nuttier flavor in the topping.
Let the casserole rest at least 10 minutes after baking so it sets and doesn't fall apart when serving.
Add cooked Italian sausage or ground beef to the sauce for a heartier, meat-based version.
Use smoked mozzarella instead of regular for a deeper, smokier flavor throughout.
Swap the roasted vegetables for sautéed mushrooms and spinach in colder months.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven to keep the topping crisp; it also freezes well, unbaked, for up to 3 months.
Baked ziti developed among Southern Italian immigrant communities in the United States, adapting simpler Italian pasta al forno traditions with the larger quantities of cheese and sauce that became characteristic of Italian-American cooking.
Yes, assemble up to a day ahead, refrigerate covered, and add about 10 extra minutes to the bake time since it will start cold.
This usually happens if the roasted vegetables weren't drained of excess moisture, or if the sauce was too thin to begin with — use a thick marinara.
Yes, assemble without baking, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding about 20 extra minutes covered with foil.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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