Low Sodium Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoThis low sodium baked ziti recipe is a fantastic healthy dinner or side dish everyone at the table will love! Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with mushrooms, spinach, salt free tomato sauce, and low sodium cheeses.
This is one fantastic pasta bake layered with hearty vegetables and flavorful sauce. Serve with an easy low sodium garlic bread and a salt free cucumber salad for a delicious dinner.
When you want a hearty filling family dinner, there’s nothing better than a hot bubbling dish of low sodium baked ziti! This recipe can easily be made low sodium by using some great cheese options – I use a fresh mozzarella that is packed in water and a low-salt ricotta cheese which give this dish a great flavor!
This low sodium pasta is super satisfying for a dinner, and makes a great dish for entertaining. I leave out any sausage which can have added sodium, so the filling is a great mix of meatless veggies.
And you can even make it ahead of time. It can be put together in a casserole dish the night before, covered, and then baked as normal the next day.
This Low Sodium Baked Ziti Recipe Is
- Hot
- Cheesy
- Bubbly
- Decadent
- Hearty
- A Fantastic Low Sodium Pasta
- Vegetarian & Meat Free
A Great Low Sodium Pasta Recipe
Pastas and noodles are one of our staples on a low sodium diet – most have 0mg sodium per serving. However, it can be tough to fine a store-bought sauce, so I love using bright fresh flavors to make my own.
This baked ziti is perfect for a tasty meal for the family, and also great to make for company if you are having guests for dinner. You can use a salt-free jarred tomato sauce (I like to make my own low sodium tomato sauce which only takes 20-30 minutes to cook) so you can enjoy extra time to prep sides or a salad. Browse all our low sodium pasta and sauce recipes here!
What’s In This Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe?
- Ziti or Penne- these thick pasta shapes are the perfect noodle for this dish – the sauce and cheese flows inside the pasta making each bite super decadent.
- Ricotta & Fresh Mozzarella – see note below on low sodium cheeses!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Onion
- Spinach – you can use fresh or frozen, I used frozen and it turned out delicious!
- Garlic
- Egg – which helps keep the filling together!
- Mushrooms
- Parsley
- No Salt Added Tomato Sauce – When I don’t have the time for my homemade tomato sauce, this no salt-added tomato sauce is my go-to! It’s healthy, organic, and I love the flavor in my pasta recipes.
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
Tasty Low Sodium Cheese Recipes
I love this low sodium baked pasta recipe, which does have cheese as an ingredient. While a lot of cheeses can be high in sodium, there are a few options which can fit into a low sodium diet when eaten in moderation. Here are a few of my favorite cheese options.
- Fresh Mozzarella – I get fresh mozzarella packed in water, which can be lower in sodium than other cheeses. For example, this fresh mozzarella has just 40mg of sodium per serving. I love it on low sodium pizza, my caprese salad bite appetizers, and tossed with pasta and my salt free tomato sauce.
- Ricotta Cheese – I love enjoying a low salt ricotta with lasagnas, pasta bakes, or just spread on toast with a drizzle of honey and fruit. This ricotta has just 50mg of sodium for a ¼ cup serving! You can even make your own ricotta (all you need is milk, vinegar, and cheesecloth), by following my low sodium ricotta cheese recipe.
- Goat Cheese – creamy, tangy, and savory, goat cheese is fantastic spread on crackers and topped with jam or fruit. This goat cheese has 80mg of sodium per serving.
- If you have other favorite low sodium cheeses, let us know in the comments below!
How Do I Make This Baked Ziti Recipe without Meat?
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook the ziti al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- In another pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until veggies have softened. Add the tomato sauce and simmer ingredients together.
- In a large bowl combine the low salt ricotta, parsley, spinach, and egg. Mix together well so all the vegetables and cheese have combined.
- In a deep 13×9 inch baking dish, layer 1 cup tomato sauce, half of the pasta, half of the cheese/vegetable mixture. Repeat again with another layer of sauce, pasta, and cheese. Sauce one more time for the final layer, and sprinkle the fresh mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered, and an additional 20 minutes uncovered until pasta and cheese becomes hot and bubbly.
- ***If making ahead of time, follow steps 1-4, then wrap the baking dish in tin foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, follow step 5.
Low Sodium Dinners The Family Will Love
This easy baked ziti recipe is low in sodium and couldn’t be easier to make! Low Sodium cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around salt free pantry staples and swapping a few ingredients you can make healthier meals for you and your family.
These salt-free dinners are healthier versions of classics that everyone will love. You can browse all our low sodium dinner recipes. Find your next family favorite!
More Low Sodium Pastas You’ll Love!
- Low Sodium Tomato Sauce with Basil Recipe (No Salt Added)
- Low Sodium Meat Sauce for Pasta Recipe (No Salt Added)
- Easy Low Sodium Pasta Salad Recipe (No Salt Added)
- Low Sodium Macaroni Salad Recipe (No Salt Added)
- Low Sodium Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (No Salt Added)
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
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Low Sodium Baked Ziti Pasta
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 13×9 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ziti or penne
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 onion chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms chopped
- 26 ounces no-salt-added tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs blend of dried oregano, parsley, basil, etc.
- 15 ounces low salt ricotta cheese see note below
- 8 ounces spinach fresh or frozen
- 1 egg
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook the ziti al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- In another pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic, onion, and mushrooms and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until veggies have softened. Add the tomato sauce and simmer ingredients together.
- In a large bowl combine the low salt ricotta, spinach, Italian herbs, and egg. Mix together well so all the vegetables and cheese have combined.
- In a deep 13×9 inch baking dish, layer 1 cup tomato sauce, half of the pasta, half of the cheese/vegetable mixture. Repeat again with another layer of sauce, pasta, and cheese. Sauce one more time for the final layer, and sprinkle the fresh mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered, and an additional 20 minutes uncovered until pasta and cheese becomes hot and bubbly.
- ***If making ahead of time, follow steps 1-4, then wrap the baking dish in tin foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, follow step 5.
Video
Nutrition
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used, it may vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify sodium amounts.
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Love this pasta
Pasta is a favorite here and this combination is hearty and makes us very happy
Kind of tasteless. Makes way too much. Start with half a batch first.
Hello Deefee2, I’m sorry to hear you found it tasteless, can you include any information on what could use more help (the sauce, the filling)?
Also, good idea on halving the batch – I usually cook this and enjoy lots of leftovers, so I do appreciate the suggestion of making half to start.
Thanks, Kelly
If I use fresh spinach, could I saute it with the other vegetables so it becomes soft and just put it with that layer?
Hi Collin,
Yes, you could absolutely do that with the spinach – let us know how it turns out!
Thanks, Kelly