Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and lay out a large baking dish, I used a 9×13 size.  Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add in your ziti pasta and cook until pasta is aldente.  Drain pasta and set aside until ready to use.  You can mix a little bit of oil or butter into the cooked pasta to make sure it doesn’t all stick together, if you like.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in about 2 teaspoons olive oil.  Next, add in all your diced vegetables (zucchini, squash, bell peppers and onion).  Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.  Mix together well and cook vegetables until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add in the garlic and fresh herbs and cook another 4-5 minutes.

Step 3

Add the marinara sauce to the vegetables and mix everything together well.  Next, add in the cooked pasta and mix again.  This may be easier to do in a large bowl, depending on how much your skillet can fit.  Set aside.

Step 4

To a medium sized bowl, add the cottage cheese and 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese.  Feel free to add fresh herbs or other seasonings as well.  Mix together until completely combined.

Step 5

Assemble your baked ziti: Add about half of the ziti and vegetable mixture to the bottom of your baking dish and spread out in an even layer.  Spoon all of the cheese mixture on top and spread out until it touches the edges of the pan.  Add on the remaining half of the pasta and then top with about 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 6

Cover with aluminum foil and place in the pre-heated oven.  Bake ziti for a total of about 45-50 minutes, removing the foil about 2/3 of the way through so the cheese on top can get nice and browned.  Ziti will be done once the sauce is bubbling and cheese is completely melted.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.