Low Sodium Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Watch Video Print Recipe

Pin For Later

This 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?

I love shopping for fresh produce through Misfits Market – they sell groceries, healthy pantry staples, and fantastic food finds at a discounted price. Choose your favorite seasonal produce, save up to 40% off grocery store prices & get it delivered to your door.

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: I like to use a fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. Olive oil gives this dish a great taste, and also can contain heart-healthy properties!
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.

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 easy recipe here.
- 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)

Share This Baked Ziti without Added Salt!

If you make this low sodium baked pasta recipe be sure to rate this recipe below, leave a comment, and tag us on Instagram or Facebook.

And please feel free to share with your Facebook groups or friends!

Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more amazing low sodium recipes – I’d love to connect with you there!

Low Sodium Baked Ziti Pasta

AuthorAuthor Kelly Jensen

This 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.

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
13x9 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 13x9 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

Notes

Low Sodium Cheeses

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.
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 easy recipe here.

Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!

I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell organic produce at a discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from farmers to reduce food waste. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can save up to 40% off grocery store prices.

If you think produce delivery is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a try!

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 660mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3185IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 304mgIron: 3mg

*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.

Keyword low salt pasta recipes, low sodium baked pasta, low sodium baked ziti, low sodium dinners, low sodium italian recipes, low sodium noodles recipe, low sodium pasta salad

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Please comment and leave a review.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Low Sodium Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for ricotta cheese in baked ziti? ›

Mix a cup of substitute egg or 4 eggs with a carton of cottage cheese. Mix until fully blended. I've used fat free cottage cheese this way and it's worked out well. Make sure to add salt and pepper - remember ricotta is a creamy but fairly bland ingredient without it.

Know More ›

Should baked ziti be covered when baking? ›

Should I cover Baked Ziti while it's baking? Yes. Cover loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!

Discover More Details ›

Why is my baked ziti watery? ›

Oftentimes, baked ziti can end up watery if the tomato sauce isn't thick enough. Luckily this recipe calls for the tomato sauce to simmer on the stove along with the ground beef and onion. Doing this will help to get rid of some of the extra water in the sauce.

How many pounds of ziti per person? ›

Having said that, 2 oz. (by weight) dried (i.e. raw, uncooked) pasta per person is considered a good single-serving rule of thumb.

See Details ›

What do Italians use instead of ricotta? ›

Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.

Discover More ›

What is a healthy substitute for ricotta cheese? ›

Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.

See Details ›

How do you keep baked ziti from drying out? ›

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil in order to keep all the moisture. This will keep the pasta from drying out. Another tip is to add around ¼ cup of water to the dish to help prevent a dried out baked ziti.

Get More Info ›

Should you undercook ziti before baking? ›

(You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.

Discover More ›

Does baked ziti contain ricotta cheese? ›

Ricotta cheese – It creates a creamy layer in the center of the baked ziti. For the best texture, make sure to use whole milk ricotta in this recipe.

Discover More Details ›

How do you know when ziti is done? ›

Two minutes before the finish time, start testing bits for consistency. Properly cooked, it should be “al dente”, or “to the tooth”, which means that it is cooked through but only to the point that the center is slightly chewy.

Keep Reading ›

Do I have to boil pasta before baking? ›

Use my simple no-cook method of precooking the pasta. Just soak the pasta in warm salted water before adding it to the other ingredients and sliding the mixture into the oven. Presoaking is a way to begin hydrating the pasta and washing away some of its starch, even as the salt in the water pre-seasons the pasta.

Is 2 pounds of pasta enough for 6 people? ›

Most recipes call for one pound of pasta — which is a standard box or bag — to serve four to six people.

Explore More ›

Is 1lb of pasta enough for 3 people? ›

One pound of cooked pasta can typically serve about 4 to 6 people. The serving size of pasta can vary depending on factors such as appetite, dietary restrictions, and the intended purpose of the meal.

Get More Info ›

How many cups is 1 pound ziti? ›

Fortunately, there are some working averages out there: a pound of shaped pasta (think farfalle, fusilli, or ziti) will usually yield about four cups, while strands like spaghetti or fettuccine are closer to two cups.