Baked Ziti Recipe – Two Peas & Their Pod

Baked Ziti is a staple dinner recipe at our home. Our boys LOVE this tacky baked pasta recipe. My recipe makes a full 9×13-inch pan which makes it actually good for feeding a crowd or having leftovers.

Leftovers at all times come in useful, particularly throughout the week and our boys are at all times glad to see baked ziti on the menu, even a number of instances in a single week. It’s that good!

This baked ziti recipe can be excellent to make for somebody who wants a giant, comforting meal. Take it to somebody welcoming a brand new child, to somebody who’s underneath the climate, or to somebody who simply wants a scrumptious meal!

You possibly can’t go unsuitable with this pasta dish. It’s a traditional Italian that everybody loves!

Ziti Pasta

Ziti is a tubed pasta like penne, however the edges are reduce in a straight line as a substitute of at a slant. Search for ziti pasta within the pasta aisle. If you happen to can’t discover ziti, penne is a good choice since they’re very related. If you happen to want the recipe to be gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free pasta.

Marinara Sauce

We love to make use of our Home made Straightforward Marinara Sauce or Gradual Cooker Marinara Sauce for the perfect taste. After all, when you have a favourite retailer purchased marinara sauce you need to use that on this recipe to avoid wasting time. I at all times maintain our home made marinara sauce within the freezer so it is able to go! It retains this recipe tremendous easy!

Sausage Baked Ziti

This baked ziti recipe is made with Italian sausage. You can additionally use floor beef or turkey, no matter you and your loved ones like greatest. If you wish to make a vegetarian baked ziti, you may omit the meat and add in your favourite greens. This baked pasta dish is simple to adapt to your liking.

Components

• Ziti
• Olive oil
• Italian sausage
• Marinara sauce
• Cheese– you have to ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
• Egg
• Herbs– recent basil and dried Italian seasoning.
• Crushed crimson pepper flakes

Learn how to Make Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is simple to make, there are a number of steps, however the steps are simple! Let’s get began!

• Let’s prepare dinner some pasta! Boil a big pot of salted water and prepare dinner the pasta till it’s al dente. Don’t over prepare dinner the pasta as a result of it would maintain prepare dinner extra within the oven.
• Drain the pasta and put it in a big bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and provides it a superb stir. That is going to maintain the whole lot from sticking collectively! Put aside.
• Now it’s time to prep the sausage. Cook dinner it over medium warmth, breaking it up with a picket spoon till it’s now not pink. This could take 5-7 minutes. As soon as accomplished, drain the fats and set it apart with the pasta.
• In a medium mixing bowl mix ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan, and all of the seasonings.
• Mix the pasta, ricotta combination, marinara sauce, and cooked sausage. Stir gently so the pasta noodles keep intact, after which pour it right into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
• Extra cheese, please! Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on prime.
• Bake till bubbly! The cheese might be golden brown and your own home will scent wonderful!
• Let it sit for five minutes, garnish with recent basil, and serve heat. It’s so tacky, so filling, and so tasty. Bon appetit! 
• When you have leftovers, retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Reheat within the oven or microwave.

Learn how to Freeze

• Right here’s a good way to have THE BEST dinner prepared while you want it: assemble the whole lot up till it’s time to bake in a disposable aluminum pan or freezer secure pan, then seal it effectively with a lid or plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Pop it within the freezer and freeze for as much as 2 months. Let it defrost within the fridge for twenty-four hours earlier than baking! Then comply with, the baking directions.
• You too can freeze baked ziti. I prefer to freeze leftovers in particular person parts. You possibly can pull out the baked ziti while you want a straightforward lunch or dinner! Reheat within the microwave.

Serving Solutions

Baked ziti may be very filling and good by itself, however if you wish to serve a full meal, listed below are a number of of our favourite aspect dishes to serve with baked ziti.

Extra Pasta Recipes

If you’re on the lookout for extra scrumptious pasta recipes, we now have you coated! I’ve a sense you’ll love all of them!

Pasta

Baked Ziti

An enormous pan of Baked Ziti crammed with pasta, cheese, sausage, and marinara sauce simply could be the very best dinner ever, especifically when garlic bread is served on the aspect. This baked pasta is a household favourite!

• 16 oz ziti or penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over pasta
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 32 oz marinara sauce
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 massive egg
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped recent basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Sprint of crushed crimson pepper flakes, elective
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to style
• For garnish: chopped basil, if desired

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-baking dish with cooking spray and put aside.

• Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dinner pasta till al dente. Use a colander to empty effectively. Drizzle pasta with a bit olive oil and stir so it doesn’t stick collectively. Pour the pasta into a big bowl and put aside.

• In the meantime, in a big sauté pan, warmth the oil over reasonable warmth. Add the Italian sausage and prepare dinner, breaking apart the meat with a picket spoon, till it’s now not pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the surplus fats and put aside.

• In a medium bowl, combine collectively the ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed crimson pepper flakes, if utilizing. Season with salt and pepper.

• Add the ricotta combination to the pasta. Add the marinara sauce, cooked sausage, and stir till mixed, stirring gently to not break up the pasta noodles.

• Pour the pasta into the ready pan and prime with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

• Bake for 25 to half-hour or till cheese is golden brown and the pasta is bubbly. Take away from the oven and let sit for five minutes. Garnish with recent basil, if desired, and serve heat.

Energy: 528kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 27g, Fats: 28g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Calcium: 388mg, Iron: 3mg

Have you ever tried this recipe?

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