Need a delicious dinner that is loved by all ages? This Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables ideally fits the bill. This gluten-free casserole is the perfect comfort food for any night of the year!Pasta is a frequent menu item for many families. Having said that, it is one of my favorite comfort foods and the most cooked meal in our house. While planning a meal, I try to include dishes crammed in with seasonal veggies. It’s a perfect way to sneak nutrients into a meal that we know our kids will swallow. And what could be better than pasta?
Let me admit – pasta is no doubt everyone’s favorite and a genuine way to hide vegetables in pretty much anything. Kids will eat any pasta that is packed with cheese and sauce. And today, I am sharing with you my favorite Ziti recipe that is loaded with summer veggies and takes under 40 minutes to get this meal on the table. And not to mention – it’s perfect for my picky eaters. 🙂
TODAY’S RECIPE MADE POSSIBLE BY –
Crystal Farms® shredded cheese. Crystal Farms® brand is one of the largest leading cheese brands in the country. For the past 92 years (1926), Crystal Farms has been committed to providing the highest quality products to its consumers. Lake Mills, Wisconsin has been home to Crystal Farms for the past 25 years. The hard-working, honest people of Lake Mills are devoted to delivering great tasting products for what they love – CHEESE!!
WHY CRYSTAL FARMS® CHEESE?
Pasta and cheese are like a match-made-in-heaven. Together this combo creates a perfect dish for any scenario, whether it be a dinner or potluck or lunch. I used Crystal Farms® because it is –
A natural product made with few preservatives Rich in Calcium Made by cheese lovers, for cheese lovers and Gluten-free!
Thank you Crystal Farms® for making my dinner an effortless one tonight!
NOW ONTO THE RECIPE!
This recipe is made up of three main elements –
pasta sauce and Cheese.
Pretty simple, right? It sure is!
Let’s start by cooking the pasta. I have used curly rotini pasta as the choice of pasta for my ziti. Boil pasta for 5 minutes. DO NOT overcook your pasta as the rest of the cooking process will continue in the oven. Time to prepare the sauce. I have used fresh ingredients such as broccoli, yellow bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms, but feel free to improvise. I have sauteed the vegetables until they are fork-tender thus creating a delectable fusion of different tastes. Then I poured in the marina sauce along with fresh basil leaves, spices, and white wine. This created the base of my baked ziti.
TIME TO ASSEMBLE!
Bake in a preheated oven (@350 degrees F) for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the result was a sizzling hot pan of extremely delicious baked pasta. Like I said in the beginning: “my kids absolutely love pasta”. This came true right away, it was as if they were getting some irresistible tug from the hot casserole pasta. And as I predicted they devoured the pasta in minutes. All I can say is that you must give this recipe a try.
BLEND OF CHEESE!
I decided to use a blend of cheese Crystal Farms® shredded cheese – Mozzarella and Crystal Farms® Shredded – Cheddar! The unique combination of Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese added a creamy smooth texture to this pasta. And all that melted cheese on top added a hearty layer of flavor to my Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables and I ended up with a creamy and cheesy casserole that was loved by all!
Watch the Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables Recipe video below!
I hope you give this recipe a try. Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. Would love to hear from you. ?
