Best 9 Southwest Baked Ziti Recipes

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
• Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Add the cream, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.) Whether refrigerated or frozen and defrosted, bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

BAKED ZITI I

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.

BEST BAKED ZITI EVER

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.

BAKED ZITI

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.

SOUTHWEST BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook pasta according until almost done.
• Spray a 8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine tomato sauce and salsa.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with half of the mozzarella cheese.
• Next blend in half of the tomata/salsa sauce, corn, chopped green chilies, oregano and pepper.
• Add the cooked ziti to mixture and mix well.
• Spoon in pasta mixture into your 8 inch casserole dish.
• Spread the remaining sauce over the top followed by the mozzarella cheese and then the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

SOUTHWEST CREAMY PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. , Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

SLOW-COOKER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, basil, and if desired, red pepper flakes; set aside. Pour pasta sauce into a 5-qt. slow cooker. Evenly top sauce with pasta; pour water over top. Drop heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. , Cover; cook on high until heated through and pasta is tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Top with fresh basil and if desired, Parmesan cheese and additional red pepper flakes; serve immediately.

NICOLE'S BEST BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the boiling water and stir in pasta. Cook until just about tender to the bite, about 8 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions).
• At the same time, heat a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and beef and cook, crumbling with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and pepper flakes; cook until onion is translucent and softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add about 1/2 cup marinara; toss to coat and let sit until needed.
• Add remaining marinara sauce to the browned meat mixture. Pour 1/4 cup water into each jar, shake to release any leftover sauce in the jar, and pour into the skillet. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• Stir ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, basil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper together in a bowl.
• Add 2 cups meat sauce to the pasta; toss to coat.
• Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add ½ of the pasta mixture and top with 2 cups meat sauce. Lightly dollop and spread ricotta mixture over the top and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Add remaining pasta mixture, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella on top. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

HOMEMADE BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• To make the sauce: First, brown the ground beef and Port. Sausage in separate frying pans over medium heat. Make sure the beef is in a large frying pan, and drain the fat. When the sausage is done, pat it dry with paper towels to remove the grease. When the beef is just about done, grind the pepper over the beef, probably about 1 Tbsp worth.
• Add about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp soy sauce and mix it in to the beef.
• You can replace the soy sauce with salt, but it adds a nice zing to the flavor.
• At this point, I usually cut the onion into chunks and throw it into my Cuisinart with the garlic, and shred them to bits, and toss them in .
• But sliced into small bits works well also.
• Add the onion and garlic, and let cook down (covered) until the onion gets a little clear.
• I add a little oil here sometimes, depending on how much fat was in the meat. Add the tomato paste, and mix it in .
• I do the paste first because it makes it faster and easier to get the consistency right when the sauce comes in .
• Add the sauce and mix it well.
• Add generous amounts of the oregano and Italian Seasoning.
• Don't go overboard on the basil though.
• Add the bay leaves.
• Let it simmer.
• Mix it, and let it simmer longer.
• Start the water boiling for the ziti.
• Add some salt and oil to the water to make it boil quicker, and to help keep the zitis from sticking.
• Throw the green pepper, sausage, and mushrooms into the sauce. Next stir about 4 or 5 Tbsp Parmesan cheese in to the sauce. When the ziti is done, drain them and dump into a large rectangular Pyrex.
• I don't remember the exact size, but I think its around 9x18.
• You may have a touch too many zitis, but they are delicious plain, so eat any extras.
• Once the Parmesan has melted into the sauce and made it stringy, and the sauce has thickened, stir the sauce into the zitis.
• Mix it all well.
• Now, lay the sliced mozzarella over the ziti like shingles on a roof.
• Sprinkle over some more Parmesan, maybe a tablespoons.
• Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.