5 Ingredient Cheesy Baked Ziti which is – no joke – the BEST pasta dish I have ever made! To quote my brother “I wish I could pay you to make this again.” It’s loaded with divine flavour since it’s only 5 ingredients, is great for weeknights and holidays!
Cheesy Baked Ziti. Also known as the pasta dish that my brother “wishes he could pay me to make again.”. You’re in for a real treat, friends.
Italian food ! It was the highlight of my life when I was younger. Maybe you’ve heard it before on the blog, but Italian food was my favourite growing up. Going to Italy renewed my love of Italian food, and now I realise that I want to recreate all the favourites I used to enjoy, into a vegan format! That includes all the pastas and pasta bakes. That’s not only so that I can enjoy my carbs when I want to, but because Italian food reminds me of family. My mom made lasagna all the time growing up. When I became vegetarian she always prepared a vegetarian lasagna for me for family dinners. Italian food for me, for that reason, has a special place in my heart. Also, my stomach.
This Cheesy Baked Ziti is like lasagna, but easier. Incredibly easier. It’s lasagna’s laid back cousin. It happens to be incredibly delicious and something you can totally prepare on a weeknight, a date night, a family night, a friends night, or any night. To keep it even easier, I wanted to give you the perfect tomato sauce that you won’t need to add a drop of anything to: Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce. I’m so excited that Rao’s Homemade is partnering with me on this blog post!! I actually have a fun story about Rao’s Homemade that I want to share.
A while back, I began to follow a fitness blogger who became one of my favourites to follow, and she was obsessed with using Rao’s Homemade sauces since they are not only delicious but also pretty low carb. Intrigued, I gave it a try and immediately fell in love. One taste was like heaven. I said to myself wow, I would love to work with Rao’s Homemade one day!
I kid you not, fast forward some months and Rao’s reached out to me! So, the fact that I’m sharing this post today with their divine sauce and this Cheesy Baked Ziti feels very meant to be. Rao’s Homemade uses incredibly simple, premium ingredients in their sauces that you could pick from a garden yourself. It contains no tomato blends, paste, water, starches, colours or added sugar. Needless to say it makes me super proud to be sharing with you since you guys know how careful I am about sharing only the very best with you.
Definitely give this Cheesy Baked Ziti a chance. I know you’ll love it and it’ll love you right back. Eat up and enjoy friends!
P.S. – I made the vegan ricotta and the vegan mozzarella from scratch. Please know that you can definitely purchase your favourite store bought brand!
Cheesy Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 2 cups vegan ricotta cheese
- 2 24 ounce jars Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella
- 9-12 ounces vegan meat alternative crumbles I crumbled up Veggie burgers
- Basil for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted water. Drain the pasta.
- Lightly grease a 13” x 9” pan, and set aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, add both jars of Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce . Heat over medium for about 3-5 minutes until heated through. Add in the drained pasta and the vegan meat alternative crumbles and stir to combine.
- Add half of the pasta and sauce mix to your 13” x 9” pan, spreading evenly across the bottom. Spoon over half of the ricotta, gently stirring into so there’s still somewhat of a layer on top, and half mixed in. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top. Add the other half of the pasta, dollop the ricotta on, mixing in slightly, and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes so everything comes together beautifully and the cheese melts. Top with basil and serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Cheesy Baked Ziti https://jessicainthekitchen.com/cheesy-baked-ziti/ August 5, 2019
This sweet and crunchy kale apple salad is packed full of flavor! It’s an easy recipe topped with chickpeas, crunchy toasted pecans, and vegan feta cheese in a zesty apple cider vinaigrette.
This amazingly delicious kale apple salad is jam-packed with all the good stuff. Tender massaged kale, hearty chickpeas, and crunchy toasted pecans rounded out with creamy vegan feta cheese and the zestiest apple cider vinaigrette. The salad and the dressing are quick to put together. This recipe has so many delicious flavors wrapped up in a single bowl, not to mention the combination of textures. It’s perfect as a cold lunch, picnic side dish, or even a holiday side!
Why You’ll Love This Kale Apple Salad
- Sweet and crunchy. The combination of earthy kale, sweet apples, toasty pecans, and creamy feta is next-level good. The zingy apple cider dressing ties everything together perfectly.
- Easy ingredients. This salad packs tons of flavor for the short list of ingredients involved. Everything you need is easy to come by in most local grocers, and organic food stores.
- Quick. It takes minutes to assemble this salad. After giving the kale a quick massage (yes, it’s a thing! More on this later), you simply toss in the other ingredients and enjoy.
Notes on Ingredients
Here are some brief notes on the ingredients you’ll need for this easy apple kale salad and the vinaigrette dressing. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.
- Kale – You’ll want to trim the kale leaves from the hard stems, wash them, and tear them into smaller pieces.
- Chickpeas – You can use a can of raw chickpeas (remember to drain and rinse them first), or you can make this salad with crispy roasted chickpeas .
- Apples – Use any apple variety you’d like. I find that the best apples for salads are crisp, crunchy varieties that don’t brown quickly, like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples.
- Pecans – I use toasted pecans, but you can also leave the nuts raw and chop them. Candied pecans are also a nice twist!
- Vegan Feta Cheese – You can make vegan feta from tofu (it’s SO easy, with just 6 ingredients), or use your favorite brand of plant-based feta from the store.
For the Dressing
- Maple Syrup – I love the unique sweetness of pure maple syrup, but agave nectar is a close second!
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar plays nicely off the apples in this salad, but you can replace it with red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar in a pinch.
- Olive Oil – Choose a good-quality olive oil, or you can use another kind of oil, like avocado oil. You’ll also need salt and pepper to round out the seasoning.
Can I Use Another Salad Dressing?
Certainly! If you’d prefer to swap out the vinaigrette in this recipe, try a honey apple dressing , or the lemon poppyseed dressing from my kale chickpea salad . A classic balsamic dressing would also be tasty here, as would the simple sweet dressing from my kale slaw recipe.
How to Make Kale Apple Salad
This kale and apple salad couldn’t be easier to make. Check out the steps below, and scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe instructions.
- Make the dressing. First, you’ll whisk together the dressing ingredients (you can also combine them in a jar with a lid and give it a shake).
- Massage the kale. Add your washed and chopped kale to a large bowl. Drizzle over about half the dressing, and use your hands to work it into the leaves. Do this for a good 1-2 minutes so that the kale becomes soft. For an in-depth tutorial on how to massage kale, see my classic kale salad recipe .
- Add the toppings. Add your chickpeas, apples, pecans, and feta. Top the salad with the last of the dressing, toss, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Substitute the kale. If kale isn’t your jam, you can still make a delicious salad! Feel free to substitute the kale in this recipe with arugula or lettuce. Since other types of lettuce tend to break down more quickly in the dressing, I suggest leaving off the dressing until you’re ready to serve.
- More toppings. There are so many ways that you can customize a kale apple salad! Try adding seasonal veggies like cooked butternut squash, beetroot, Brussels sprouts , or asparagus .
- Fruit and nuts. In place of pecans, top this salad with chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, dried cranberries, currants, or raisins.
What to Serve With Kale and Apple Salad
I love this salad as a light lunch during the week, topped with marinated tofu , tempeh , or vegan chicken to make it a bit more hearty. You can also serve it as a side to pasta dishes like this creamy pumpkin alfredo or this garlic and mushroom pasta . It’s also festive enough to serve as a holiday side dish next to vegan turkey and vegan stuffing !
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. It’s best to store the salad and dressing separately. Store the salad inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the dressing in a mason jar and refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.
More Salad Recipes
- Vegan Watermelon Feta Salad
- Greek Cucumber Salad
- Easy Vegan Caesar Salad
- Roasted Beet “Feta” Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad
- 6 cups kale , de-stemmed, washed and torn
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1 apple , sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons toasted pecans
- 3 tablespoons crumbled vegan tofu feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta
Instructions
Salad
- In a bowl, place the kale. Add in half the dressing and massage into the kale for two minutes, until the kale has been broken down. Add the rest of the ingredients and the rest of the dressing. Toss to combine. If you’d like, place the pecans and feta cheese in a bowl first, then sprinkle on top.
Maple-Apple Vinaigrette Dressing
- Whisk or shake the ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Enjoy!
Notes
- TO STORE: You can store this salad in an airtight tupperware container in the fridge without the dressing. You can store the dressing in a mason jar . The salad lasts about 3 days in the fridge. The dressing can last up to two weeks if stored properly.
