Description
Indulge in this comforting and cheesy Baked Ziti recipe that’s perfect for a cozy family dinner or entertaining a crowd. Layers of ziti pasta, savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta mixture, and gooey melted mozzarella will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
Pasta:
1 pound ziti pasta,
Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef, 1 medium onion diced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 2 jars (24 ounces each) marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional,
Ricotta Mixture:
15 ounces ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven and cook pasta: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook ziti pasta till al dente.
- Prepare meat sauce: Brown sausage/beef, add onion, garlic, marinara sauce, herbs, and simmer.
- Make ricotta mixture: Combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, 2 cups mozzarella, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Layer and bake: Spread sauce, layer pasta, ricotta mix, sauce. Top with mozzarella. Bake covered, then uncovered until golden.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest before serving.
Notes
- You can assemble baked ziti up to a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add sautéed mushrooms or spinach.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 960mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
