Who said lasagna had to be unhealthy?! While this recipe may be for baked Ziti, you can easily change up your noodles and make a beautiful lasagna instead. This recipe is packed with whole grains, vegetables, and low-fat dairy to keep you satisfied for longer without all the extra calories and fat. Plus it is super versatile! As is, this recipe is vegetarian. However, you can change up the protein, sub your favorite veggies, and season with herbs to your heart’s content to create your own version of delicious Baked Veggie Ziti.
Baked Veggie Ziti Recipe
Active Time 45 min
Ready in 90-120 min
Serves 12 ppl
492 calories per serving
Ingredients
● 2 TBSP Olive Oil
● 10 Cloves Garlic
● 1 Yellow Onion
● 12 oz Tomato Paste
● 56 oz Tomatoes, crushed *
● 16 oz Mushrooms
● 1 large Eggplant
● 2 Calabaza Squashes (or Zucchini)
● 16 oz Fat-Free Mozzarella Cheese
● 24 oz Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
● 16 oz Whole Wheat Noodles**
● 3.5 cups Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)***
● Season to taste with Dried Basil, Oregano, Black Pepper, Chili Flakes, etc (just not salt, please).
Preparation
- Cube 1 eggplant and 2 calabaza squash and toss with 1 TBSP of Olive Oil. (To remove the bitter flavor from eggplant you can salt after cutting and let drain on a rack or place in warm salted water. Either way make sure to wash off all salt before continuing with the recipe.) Roast veggies in a 350F oven for 30-45 minutes until fully cooked.
- Dice 1 yellow onion and add to a large pot with 1 TBSP Olive Oil over low-medium heat. Then, finely chop 16 oz of mushrooms and 10 cloves of garlic (or however much you prefer). Add mushrooms to the pot and cook until all water released has evaporated. Add garlic and 12 oz of tomato paste. Cook until tomato paste slightly darkens in color and add 56 oz of crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of water (or low sodium vegetable broth). Bring to a low simmer and add 3.5 cups of TVP. Next, let gently simmer for at least 10 minutes to rehydrate the TVP. If the sauce is not liquid enough, add another ½ to 1 cup of water to reach desired consistency.
- Finally, cook your pasta as directed minus 2-3 minutes to allow pasta to finish cooking while baking.
- Mix roasted veggies, pasta, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, and half of your mozzarella cheese in a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 375F for 30-45 min and cheese is nicely browned on top.
- Split into 12 portions and Enjoy!
Tips
● *See if you can get crushed or diced tomatoes already seasoned with basil or Italian seasoning! Just watch the sodium content! Notice how we are not adding ANY additional salt to this recipe. Most canned tomato products are very high in sodium already.
● **If your budget allows, try chickpea noodles! They are a great gluten-free pasta. Switching to chickpea noodles will lower your calories, too!
● ***TVP is a great vegetarian protein source and mimics the texture of ground meat. Some grocery stores carry it, but you can also order it online.
● Not a baked Ziti Fan? Swap out your noodles for lasagna noodles and make Veggie Lasagna!
Budget
$26.61 Total
$2.22 Total per Serving
All items are SNAP eligible
Nutrition
2 Protein/ 2 Whole Grain/ 1 Vegetable/ 2 Fruit / 2 Dairy
Storage
Meal will last in Fridge 3-4 days, Freezer for 2-3 months
Tomato sauce based on Leanne Brown’s Cookbook Good & Cheap which can be found Free Online Here
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