Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American dish enjoyed by many. It typically consists of ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, and spices. When prepared correctly, baked ziti can be a delicious and satisfying meal. However, it can be difficult to recreate the same quality of baked ziti that you would find in a restaurant. This article will provide you with some tips and tricks for making restaurant-quality baked ziti at home.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
BEST BAKED ZITI EVER
This is seriously the Best Baked Ziti Ever. Your family is going to love the homemade meat sauce, and that ricotta and cream cheese topping takes it to the next level!
Provided by Rachel Farnsworth
Categories Main Dish
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Pour olive oil into a large, deep skillet, over medium-high heat. Add in ground beef and brown, 5 minutes. Add in diced onions, and mushrooms (optional). Saute for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are soft and translucent, and ground beef is cooked through.
- Add in garlic and tomato paste and toast for 2 minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until pasta is ready.
- Cook pasta in boiling water, according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the cheese topping in a small mixing bowl by combining cream cheese, ricotta, and parmesan. Mix together until smooth.
- Once the pasta is done, add it into the meat sauce and stir to combine. Pour it into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Spread cheese mixture on top of the pasta.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 657 kcal, Carbohydrate 67 g, Protein 32 g, Fat 30 g, SaturatedFat 13 g, Cholesterol 88 mg, Sodium 1026 mg, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 13 g, ServingSize 1 serving
ITALIAN RESTAURANT BAKED ZITI
This is a recipe I got from a friend for baked ziti recipe that originated from an Italian restaurant in New York City. I've been making it this way for years.
Provided by Paintpuddles
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h5m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook ziti in a large pot of boiling salted water until
- tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water;
- drain well.
- In a medium bowl, combine
- ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan
- cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix to
- blend well.
- Toss cooked ziti with 2 cups
- marinara sauce.
- Place half the pasta in an
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Top with ricotta
- mixture and half the mozzarella cubes.
- Top with remaining ziti, marinara sauce,
- mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until casserole is heated through and cheese is
- bubbly and lightly browned on top, 30 to 35
- minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 669.6, Fat 25.5, SaturatedFat 13.2, Cholesterol 141.5, Sodium 1300.7, Carbohydrate 74.2, Fiber 3, Sugar 13.2, Protein 34.3
BAKED ZITI
Ree's ziti is a hearty, cheese-filled dish also incorporating ground beef, Italian sausage and fresh parsley.
Provided by Ree Drummond
Categories beef,cheese,eggs and dairy,Italian,Main,pasta,pork,tomatoes
Time 1h40m
Yield 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
- Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
- Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.
BAKED ZITI
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h35m
Yield 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
- Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
- Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.
BAKED ZITI RECIPE BY TASTY
Supremely saucy and cheesy, baked ziti is a family favorite for a reason! Toss ziti or your favorite tube-shaped pasta with a quick homemade tomato sauce and ricotta-Parmesan mixture, then layer with more ricotta and mozzarella and bake until bubbling and delicious.
Provided by Betsy Carter
Categories Lunch
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200°C). Grease a 3-quart baking dish with the butter.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the aromatics, until the tomato paste is deep brick-red, about 2 minutes.
- Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, using a potato masher or your hands to crush them into the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 20 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of ricotta, the Parmesan, remaining teaspoon of salt, and remaining teaspoon of pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Reserve 2 cups of tomato sauce in a bowl, then add the ricotta-Parmesan mixture to the remaining tomato sauce in the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Add the drained pasta tomato-ricotta sauce and stir until well coated.
- Add half of the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Cover with 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce, ¾ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the remaining ricotta. Add the remaining pasta, then repeat with the remaining cup of tomato sauce, ¾ cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of ricotta.
- Bake until the mozzarella is golden brown and the tomato sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes.
- Garnish with the basil before serving.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 399 calories, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 25 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 26 grams, Sugar 7 grams
THE BEST BAKED ZITI
I am half Italian, was raised eating the finest Italian-American cuisine, and have filmed almost 2000 recipe videos, so when you consider all of those facts, it seems incredible that I have never posted a video for baked ziti. Hopefully I make up for that long wait by posting what I think is the best version of it.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h20m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cut down the length of each sausage with a sharp knife. Remove and discard casings.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Add sausages and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the sausage begins to brown, and the onion turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup water into each jar to rinse out remaining sauce; add to the saucepan. Stir together and bring sauce to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Turn off heat and reserve until needed. Before using, skim any excess fat that rises to the surface.
- While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 or 2 minutes less than the directions on the package call for, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Carefully add the meat sauce and stir until thoroughly combined. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large 9x15-inch or 9x13-inch casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared dish, then use a spatula to even out into a uniform layer. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and then 1/2 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, being sure to distribute evenly. Top with the rest of the pasta and sauce mixture and give the pan a little shake to settle the sauce. Repeat the cheese application.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is piping hot, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Top with parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 627.1 calories, Carbohydrate 58.1 g, Cholesterol 71.8 mg, Fat 29.5 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 30.8 g, SaturatedFat 11.9 g, Sodium 1380.1 mg, Sugar 14.4 g
BAKED ZITI I
A lady I worked with brought this in one day, and it was a hit. Now it is the favorite of all my dinner guests. It's great for a covered dish dinner too. I have made this also without the meat, and it is well received.
Provided by Colleen B. Smith
Categories Pasta and Noodles Pasta by Shape Recipes Ziti Recipes
Time 55m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
- In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 578.2 calories, Carbohydrate 58.4 g, Cholesterol 71.3 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 27.9 g, SaturatedFat 12.7 g, Sodium 913.6 mg, Sugar 14.3 g
Tips for a Perfect Baked Ziti:
1. Choose the right pasta: Use a short pasta that will hold the sauce well, such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni. 2. Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but be careful not to overcook it. Al dente pasta is best for baked ziti. 3. Use a good quality sauce: Make your own sauce or use a high-quality store-bought sauce. A thick, flavorful sauce will make all the difference in your baked ziti. 4. Layer the ingredients correctly: Start with a layer of sauce, then add a layer of pasta, then a layer of cheese. Repeat these layers until you have used up all of the ingredients. 5. Bake at a high temperature: Bake the ziti at a high temperature (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit) so that the cheese melts and bubbles and the pasta gets crispy around the edges. 6. Let it rest before serving: Allow the baked ziti to rest for a few minutes before serving so that the flavors can meld together.
Conclusion:
Baked ziti is a classic Italian dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. With a few simple tips, you can make a baked ziti that is sure to impress your family and friends. So next time you are looking for a delicious and comforting meal, give baked ziti a try.
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