Baked Ziti - Spend With Pennies

This Baked Ziti is a comfortable pasta casserole that’s hearty, saucy, and splendidly tacky. Pasta is layered with savory Italian sausage, wealthy tomato sauce, and a creamy ricotta combination for a simple dinner that has all of the consolation of lasagna with out all of the work.

It’s a household favourite for busy weeknights, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want a comforting meal that feeds a crowd.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti is a basic pasta dish that’s straightforward to place collectively and all the time successful. I like this recipe a lot that it was one of many few recipes from the positioning that made it into my cookbook, Everyday Comfort.

Why Make It: This baked ziti feeds a crowd, may be assembled forward of time, and bakes into wealthy, sturdy layers that maintain collectively superbly when served.

Time-Saving Tip: Save time by utilizing pre-shredded mozzarella, jarred marinara sauce, and pre-chopped onion to chop down on prep work.

Freezing: Assemble forward and freeze earlier than baking for a simple future dinner.

Serving Options: I wish to serve this baked ziti with home made garlic bread and a crisp green salad or caesar salad.

Whole Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes Serves: 8

Ingredient Notes

pasta sauce , water , ricotta , diced tomatoes , egg , onion , ziti , Italian seasoning , parmesan , mozzarella , Italian sausage , parsley with labels to make Baked Ziti

Italian Sausage: Delicate sausage is family-friendly, scorching sausage provides additional warmth, and bulk sausage helps save prep time. If utilizing hyperlinks, take away the casings earlier than browning.
Pasta Sauce or Marinara: Select a sauce you get pleasure from by itself, because it’s the bottom of the casserole. Marinara tends to be brighter and extra tomato-forward, whereas tomato basil or garlic sauces add additional depth of taste.
Diced Tomatoes: These add texture and assist maintain the sauce from tasting flat. Petite diced tomatoes mix in additional seamlessly, whereas fire-roasted tomatoes carry a deeper, barely smoky taste.
Italian Seasoning: This enhances the jarred sauce with a mix of herbs. Add a little bit additional if utilizing floor beef, turkey, or a quite simple tomato sauce.
Ziti: Cook dinner simply to al dente so it holds its texture after baking. Penne, rigatoni, mostaccioli, or medium pasta shells additionally work properly as substitutes.
Ricotta cheese: Complete milk ricotta creates the creamiest, richest layer. If the ricotta appears watery, drain it earlier than mixing, or substitute cottage cheese for a lighter possibility.
Mozzarella Cheese: For the most effective soften and texture, shred mozzarella from a block. Low-moisture mozzarella is right to assist stop the casserole from changing into watery.

Variations

Spicy: Add pink pepper flakes to the sauce or use scorching Italian sausage for additional warmth.

Meat Swap: Floor beef or turkey can be utilized as an alternative of sausage, with added garlic and Italian seasoning for taste.

Vegetable Add-Ins: Spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, or chopped kale all work properly. Cook dinner watery greens first to forestall the casserole from changing into skinny.

Lighter: Use turkey sausage, part-skim ricotta, and part-skim mozzarella for a lighter model.

Make it Meatless: Omit the sausage and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or roasted greens for a flavorful vegetarian possibility.

The way to Make Baked Ziti

Brown the sausage and onion in a skillet. Simmer with pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and Italian seasoning.
Boil the ziti simply till al dente and drain.
Combine the ricotta, egg, parsley, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a bowl.
Layer sauce, pasta, ricotta combination, extra pasta, extra sauce, and mozzarella.
Bake (full recipe beneath).

Cook dinner the Pasta Al Dente: Cook dinner the pasta simply till al dente so it doesn’t get too comfortable within the oven.
For a Saucy Casserole: Let the sauce simmer uncovered till barely thickened so the casserole is saucy, not watery.
Drain the Pasta Nicely: Drain the pasta properly earlier than layering so additional water doesn’t skinny the sauce.
For the Creamiest Texture: Use entire milk ricotta for the richest, creamiest texture.
For Straightforward Serving: Let the baked ziti relaxation for five to 10 minutes earlier than serving so the layers can set.
To Make It Forward: Assemble the casserole with out the ultimate cheese topping, refrigerate it, then add the cheese simply earlier than baking..

Save It For Later

Leftovers: Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat particular person parts within the microwave or cowl and heat within the oven till heated by means of.
Freezing: Assemble the casserole, cowl tightly, and freeze for as much as 4 months earlier than baking, or freeze leftovers for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than baking or reheating.
For Greatest Outcomes: Take away a refrigerated casserole from the fridge about Half-hour earlier than baking. Whether it is chilly from the fridge, it might want additional baking time.

Extra Cozy Pasta Bakes

Did you get pleasure from this Baked Ziti Casserole Recipe? Depart a remark and score beneath.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 50 minutes

Whole Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a big skillet, over medium-high warmth, brown the sausage and onion, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain any fats.
Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, water, and Italian seasoning. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes or till thickened, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to style.
In the meantime, boil ziti in a big pot of salted water till al dente. Drain properly.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, parsley, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Add 1 cup of sauce to the underside of the ready baking pan. Layer half of the ziti, high with the entire ricotta combination, and half of the sauce.
Add remaining ziti, remaining sauce, and high with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25-Half-hour or till golden and bubbly.

If changing the sausage with floor beef or turkey, add 2 cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the meat because it cooks.
½ teaspoon pink pepper flakes may be added to the sauce for a little bit kick if you happen to’d like
To Put together Forward of Time: Put together as directed, storing the 1 cup of cheese for the topping in a separate container. Refrigerate, tightly coated, for as much as 48 hours or freeze for as much as 4 months. If frozen, thaw within the fridge in a single day.
Take away from the fridge at the very least Half-hour earlier than baking. Bake for 25 minutes, add the cheese, and bake for an extra 20 to 25 minutes or till scorching and bubbly.
Preserve leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days and within the freezer for as much as 2 months.

Diet data supplied is an estimate and can fluctuate based mostly on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Major Course, Pasta

Delicacies Italian

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content material and images are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is each inspired and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.