Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

By srumbel

Hopefully this gem of a recipe will bring a little brightness to the start of your week. It’s simple yet well-rounded, feeds a lot of mouths (or allows for lots of leftovers), and packs in loads of vegetables (and cheese). And not just any vegetables, but summer vegetables that are bountiful.
from preventionrd.com

Ingredients

• 1 lb uncooked ziti pasta
• 4 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick half-moons
• 4 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
• 2 pints red grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 oz Romano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
• Fresh basil leaves

Details

Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 50mins

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook for 8-9 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler to 550 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, toss together the zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Arrange vegetables in a single layer; broil until charred and tender, about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Stir together ricotta, Romano, basil, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
Combine pasta, cooked vegetables, and marinara sauce in a large bowl; stir to combine. Spoon half the pasta mixture into a 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish. Dollop 1 cup of ricotta mixture evenly on pasta mixture. Repeat with remaining pasta mixture and ricotta mixture. Top evenly with mozzarella.
Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with basil, if desired.

Serves: 8 servings (about 2 cups each)

Nutrition Information
Serving size: ~2 cups Calories: 476 Fat: 15.6 Carbohydrates: 64.1 Sugar: 14.4 Sodium: 744 Fiber: 6.3 Protein: 26.5 Cholesterol: 36