There’s nothing quite like a hearty, comforting pasta dish. This Baked Ziti is the ultimate indulgence—ziti pasta baked with a rich tomato sauce, melted cheese, and savory herbs. Perfect for a family dinner or a special gathering, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone.
Why This Baked Ziti Is the Best
Rich and Flavorful Sauce: The tomato sauce is simmered with garlic, onions, and Italian herbs, creating a deep, savory flavor that coats every piece of pasta.
Cheesy Goodness: This dish is loaded with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, which melt beautifully and create a gooey, cheesy topping that’s hard to resist.
Hearty and Satisfying: The combination of pasta, sauce, and cheese makes this dish incredibly filling and satisfying. It’s comfort food at its best.
Ingredient Notes:
Italian sausage (mild or hot): Adds a flavorful, savory base with a bit of spice, giving the dish its hearty, meaty flavor.
Crushed and diced tomatoes: Form the base of the sauce, providing texture and a rich tomato flavor.
Ricotta cheese: Adds creaminess to the ziti layers, giving the dish a soft, rich texture.
Mozzarella: Melts beautifully, creating a gooey and stretchy cheese layer that binds the pasta together.
Parmesan: Adds a salty, nutty flavor that complements the mozzarella and ricotta, enhancing the richness of the dish.
Serving Suggestions
Straight from the Oven: Baked ziti is best enjoyed hot, straight from the oven. The cheese is melty, and the pasta is perfectly cooked.
With a Side Salad: Pair this dish with a fresh green salad to balance out the richness of the pasta. A simple vinaigrette dressing works well.
For Family Dinners or Gatherings: This dish is perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s easy to make in large quantities and always a crowd-pleaser.
Tips for Perfect Baked Ziti
Cook the Pasta Al Dente: The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so make sure to cook it just until al dente to avoid it becoming too soft.
Layer the Ingredients: For the best texture and flavor, layer the pasta, sauce, and cheese. This ensures every bite is full of cheesy, saucy goodness.
Let It Rest Before Serving: Allow the baked ziti to rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. This helps it set and makes serving easier.
A Must Try
There’s nothing quite like the smell of baked ziti coming out of the oven. This Baked Ziti is the perfect way to treat yourself or your loved ones to something special. Rich, cheesy, and irresistibly comforting, it’s sure to become a favorite in your home.
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil 1 3/4 cup yellow onions chopped (1 medium onion)
- With 1 lb. All Natural Mild or Hot Italian Sausage by Johnsonville
- Garlic with 3 cloves minced
- 1 28 oz of crushed tomatoes may have
- Can petite 1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 1/2 tbsp of paste with tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil lightly packed, plus more for topping
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped divided
- Salt and black pepper freshly ground
- 1 15 oz container of cheese with ricotta
- 1 tall egg
- 12 oz 3 cups of shredded mozzarella, split
- 3/4 cup of finely shredded parmesan 3 oz
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°C. First of all, bring a large pot of water to a boil (for pasta) and heat olive oil in a large saute pan (deep skillet), add onions and saute for two min, then add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up sausage, until cooked through, adding in garlic for the last 1 minute, drain excess fat.
- In addition, add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, 2 tbsp of parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low and enable 15 minutes to simmer, then remove it from the heat.
- Stir together the ricotta, egg, 2 tbsp of parsley, and season with salt and pepper in a mixing bowl using a fork.
- Mix and set aside 1 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of parmesan.
- While the sauce is simmering and while the cheese mixture is prepared, boil the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions.
- When reserving 1/4 of a cup of pasta water, drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the empty dish, add the reserved pasta water and 1 cup of the red sauce immediately, then coat the pasta.
- Spray 13 with non-stick spray on a 9-inch baking dish. Spread 1 1/3 cups evenly into the bottom of the dish of the red sauce, then spread 1/2 of the pasta over the sauce, and then dollop spoonfuls of ricotta mixture all over the pasta and flatten the remaining pasta slightly.
- Spoon the remaining sauce evenly across the layer of pasta.
- With the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parmesan sprinkle the top evenly.
- Tent foil baking dish (do not let it touch the cheese or it will stick) and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until all the cheese is melted. Serve it warm.
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Baked Ziti