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Lentil Baked Ziti

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Description

This healthy vegetarian baked ziti recipe includes lentils for protein. It’s a delicious dinner that makes great leftovers. Be sure to serve it with a big green side salad; my Italian chopped salad or a pared-down version of it would be perfect. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredient:

  • Lentils*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 ¼ cups regular brown lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • Pasta and everything else
  • 12 ounces whole grain ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta
  • 8 ounces (2 packed cups) grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)
  • 23.5 ounces Newman’s Own Organics Marinara (plus 1 cup extra sauce, if you like extra-saucy ziti like me), divided
  • 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese**
  • Handful of torn fresh basil leaves, for garnishing