Keto Cauliflower Baked Ziti Recipe

Name: Keto Cauliflower Baked Ziti Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 heads Cauliflower ((cut into bite-sized florets)); 5 tbsp Olive oil ((divided into 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp)); 3/4 tsp Sea salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 1 lb Italian sausage; 4 cloves Garlic ((minced)); 1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce; 2 tsp Italian seasoning; 1 1/2 cups Whole milk ricotta cheese; 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese ((shredded)); 2 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese ((shredded))

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Craving comfort food that won’t leave you feeling ready for a nap? This cauliflower baked ziti is it! I’ve taken a classic Italian dish with a low carb spin, but all the same flavors. Everyone can enjoy keto baked ziti, whether they are following a keto diet or not! Even my kids loved it.

Wondering how cauliflower ziti can be just as satisfying? Let me explain. We’ve got layers of roasted cauliflower, a sausage marinara with Italian seasoning, and of course, plenty of cheese (three different types!). It’s the kind of meal everyone can get behind.

If Italian meals are your jam, but you aren’t interested in the pasta, give my Italian sausage kale soup, Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms, or Italian antipasto salad a try.

How To Make Cauliflower Baked Ziti

This keto baked ziti recipe comes together with just 10 minutes prep! Here’s how we make it:

Roast cauliflower

Season. In a large bowl, toss together cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on 2 baking sheets and roast until browned.

TIP: Rotate while roasting. Ideally, the pans would fit side by side, but if they don’t, rotate them half way through.

Make sausage marinara

Brown sausage. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until browned.

Saute garlic. Make a well in the center of the skillet and saute garlic until fragrant, then stir into the sausage.

Make sausage marinara. Add marinara and Italian seasoning and simmer until sauce is thick and bubbly.

Assemble cauliflower baked ziti

Layer. Arrange half of the roasted cauliflower in a single layer in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Dollop ricotta over cauliflower and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. Top with sausage marinara and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with more cauliflower, ricotta, parmesan, sausage marinara, and mozzarella.

Bake. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and golden.

Cauliflower Ziti FAQs

How many carbs in baked ziti?

The carbs in baked ziti will vary recipe to recipe, but a good average is 37 grams total carbohydrates per 1 cup of baked ziti.

It’s exactly why I thought we needed a keto option… 😉

How many carbs in cauliflower baked ziti?

Each serving of this cauliflower ziti has 7.5 grams net carbs.

The full cauliflower baked ziti nutrition can be found below the recipe card.

Is cauliflower baked ziti keto?

Yes, with just 7.5 grams net carbs per serving, cauliflower baked ziti is keto-friendly.

Can you make cauliflower ziti with turkey?

Yes, you could swap out the Italian sausage for ground turkey in this recipe. You may need to adjust seasonings, so sample after adding marinara and Italian seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Keto Baked Ziti Storage Instructions

Can you make it ahead?

Yes, this meal is great leftover. Or, if you’d like, you can assemble the entire meal and bake right before serving.

You could also prep a few components ahead and bake right before serving:

Roast cauliflower
Make sausage marinara

How to store cauliflower ziti:

Store any leftover cauliflower ziti in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze keto cauliflower baked ziti?

Yes, you can also freeze the baked ziti for 2-3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating instructions:

Reheat the ziti in a 350 degree F oven or in the microwave.

What To Serve With Keto Baked Ziti

All this healthy ziti substitute needs is an app, salad, or dessert:

Appetizers – Appetizer recipes such as stuffed baby artichokes, garlic cheese bread, or cauliflower breadsticks are all great options.
Salads – Salad recipes such as chopped Italian salad, chopped Mediterranean salad, or avocado caprese salad pair well with cauliflower ziti.
Desserts – Dessert recipes such as keto truffles, peanut butter fat bombs, or keto coconut cream pie will end your meal on a sweet and delicious note.

More Keto “Pasta” Recipes

If you like this baked cauliflower ziti recipe, you might also like some of these other Italian keto recipes for pasta:

Keto Ravioli – The ultimate ravioli for carb lovers. Fathead ravioli features a butternut squash filling and browned butter sauce.
Healthy Chicken Alfredo – Don’t let alfredo weigh you down, this one is lightened up with spaghetti squash and the sauce is just as creamy.
Eggplant Lasagna – Easy comfort food, with just 20 minutes prep. You won’t miss the noodles!
Keto Shrimp Scampi – This twist on a classic is made with healthy zucchini noodles instead of pasta. Ready in less than 30 minutes.

Tools To Make Cauliflower Ziti:

Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.

Enameled Cast Iron Skillet – This skillet heats up evenly and cooks your food quickly, plus the enameled coating is less fuss than traditional cast iron.
Ceramic Baking Dish – Take your keto baked ziti right from the oven to table in this ceramic dish that’s as functional as it is beautiful. This one is the perfect size for this recipe.