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Cheesy Easy Baked Ziti Recipe tastes like it took a long time to cook, however it is super easy and quick to make! With only 4 ingredients, this meatless baked ziti recipe makes the perfect weeknight meal paired with a salad and fresh bread!
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
Most days I am wanting things to be easy at dinner time. By the dinner rolls around after working and doing school with the kids this momma is tired. However being tired doesn’t mean that I want junk for dinner. I still want a real dinner meal and I take pride in a full dinner meal for my family being a nightly thing.
This easy baked ziti recipe is done in about 30 minutes, and only about 10 minutes are needed to do any actual work for making it. I normally pair this meatless ziti recipe with a loaf of fresh bread (our local grocery store bakery is great for grabbing a loaf!) and a fresh salad.
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What to Serve with Meatless Ziti
Normally when I make cheesy baked ziti for dinner I take the easy way and get a loaf of fresh Italian bread from the grocery store and make a fresh salad. If you are making this meatless baked ziti recipe for a crowd then you will probably want to make things as as easy as possible, doing bread and salad will make this a complete meal.
However there are many other side dishes to serve with meatless pasta dishes like this one, check some of our favorite side dish recipes out!
Capocollo Wrapped Asparagus
Parmesan Asparagus
Lemon Roasted Asparagus
Garlic Green Beans
Whole roasted cauliflower
What can you add to Homemade Ziti?
I like to keep things simple with these cheesy baked ziti, but you can easily add some extra flavors to this homemade ziti recipe. Feel free to cook up some ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage and add it in.
If you are wanting to add some veggies to your baked ziti cook them before hand, drain any water and then add them in before putting the baked ziti mixture into the oven. Personally I love adding in spinach and with either sauté some fresh spinach with a little bit of garlic and butter or pop a box of frozen spinach in the microwave, drain the water out and then add it in.
How to Freeze Baked Ziti
One of the great things about homemade baked ziti is that it is easy to make it a freezer meal. You can prep the whole ziti and freeze it before baking it and it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When I am making meatless baked ziti (or any of my other homemade baked ziti recipes) to have in the freezer I like to use the tinfoil pans instead of my normal glass baking dishes. To freeze ziti prep the whole dish and instead of putting it in the oven to bake, allow everything to cool and then cover it tightly with tin foil. Place the ziti in the freezer.
When you want to serve the ziti, remove it from the freezer, and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Cheesy Easy Baked Ziti Ingredients
ziti noodles
pasta sauce – or you can use 3 cups of a homemade sauce like homemade marinara, sun dried tomato sauce, homemade spaghetti sauce, cherry tomato sauce, creamy tomato sauce or spicy bacon tomato sauce.
shredded mozzarella cheese
Ricotta cheese
How to Make Easy Baked Ziti
Preheat oven to 350.
Cook the ziti noodles in a large pot, according to the package and drain. Pour the ziti noodles back into the pot.
In a large bowl, add half the mozzarella cheese, the full container of ricotta cheese and the pasta sauce and mix well.
Pour the ziti noodles into the bowl with the mixture and mix well.
Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray and pour the pasta into the baking dish.
Sprinkle remainder of mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Check these out!
Cheesy Easy Baked Ziti Recipe tastes like it took a long time to cook, however it is super easy and quick to make! With only 4 ingredients, this meatless ziti recipe makes the perfect weeknight meal paired with a salad and fresh bread!
Ingredients
1poundziti noodles
24ouncespasta sauce
3cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
15ouncesRicotta cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Cook the ziti noodles in a large pot, according to the package and drain. Pour the ziti noodles back into the pot.
In a large bowl, add half the mozzarella cheese, the full container of ricotta cheese and the pasta sauce and mix well.
Pour the ziti noodles into the bowl with the mixture and mix well.
Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray and pour the pasta into the baking dish.
To prevent the pasta from “steaming” and to allow the top to brown it should be baked uncovered. As long as ALL the noodles are thoroughly covered in sauce there shouldn't be a problem with the ziti drying out. However, if you want to cover it go ahead.
Ricotta cheese: Opt for whole-milk ricotta, which adds creaminess to the dish. Parmesan cheese: Finely grated Parmesan adds depth of flavor. Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella is mixed in with the pasta and added on top for a golden-brown finish.
Make sure you bake it at 350 degrees, use a deep dish and cover it with foil. I always add a lot of sauce and that helps prevent the dried out top layer. Take out of the oven as soon as cheese is melted and golden. It's also important to make sure all pasta is covered with sauce.
You might have noticed this baked ziti is made without ricotta cheese. In my experience, cream cheese makes a better substitute because it is so creamy! To make ahead of time, follow the recipe as is through Step 7. Assemble everything in the baking dish, but stop before baking.
Tightly covering the baking dish in aluminum foil forces the pasta to steam-cook in the marinara sauce, which eliminates the need to pre-boil the noodles. Most baked ziti recipes call for three cheeses: mozzarella (for cheese pulls), ricotta (for creaminess), and Parmesan.
I like using béchamel sauce instead of ricotta because it holds the mouthwatering lasagna layers together and gives the dish an overall creamy texture. Using béchamel is also the authentic Italian way to make lasagna.
If you're looking for a sub for lasagna, though, reach for cottage or goat cheese instead. Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.
Baked Ziti is a popular Italian-American dish that is not commonly found in Italy. It is a casserole-style pasta that typically consists of ziti pasta, tomato sauce, cheese (usually a combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan), and added ingredients like meat or vegetables.
Instead of chucking your mushy pasta into the nearest bin, simply adjust your stove's flame to medium and warm up a sauté pan. Lightly coat the pan with your choice of cooking oil or butter, then slide the soggy noodles into the pan and lightly stir until the pasta is browned in places.
Oven. To reheat baked ziti that has been refrigerated, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Again, if it is in a glass dish, be sure that the glass has come to room temperature first to avoid cracking. Cover the oven-safe dish with aluminum foil and bake for around 35-45 minutes.
Ultimately, what that means is that, when you bite into a piece of pasta to determine if it is done, you should see just a touch of white at the center of the noodle. It should be a light color and not too stark of a difference, lest it is underdone. The pasta should be somewhat firm, but definitely not crunchy.
Ricotta is frequently used in Italian cuisine, so it makes sense that other types of Italian cheeses, including parmesan, mascarpone, and mozzarella, can be great substitutes.
If you need to, you can substitute more ricotta cheese or make your own mascarpone by beating 8 ounces of cream cheese with 1/4 cup of heavy cream until smooth and creamy. Parmesan cheese: Provides a salty, savory flavor. For a similar salty, sharp flavor, try Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano.
Sour cream makes an excellent substitute for ricotta cheese in many recipes. Its thick, creamy texture closely mimics that of ricotta, and the tangy flavor profile complements a variety of dishes just as well.
Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.
Should you cover the pasta when cooking it? It's okay to put a lid on the pot while you are waiting for the water to boil. However, after it starts to boil and you add the pasta to the water, you should remove the lid to prevent the water from bubbling over.
We add stock to the baking dish along with the chopped tomatoes and veggies and cover with tinfoil before popping in the oven which keeps the heat and moisture in allowing the pasta to cook perfectly.
Lasagna should be cooked for at least 45 minutes in a hot oven at 350°F, though it really depends on the number of layers. To prevent an overcooked surface and an undercooked center, cover with aluminum foil halfway through the cooking process.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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