How To Make Italian Baked Ziti With Ricotta Cheese
This is a summary of how to make this recipe. The details are in the printable recipe card below along with the video.
Tips For A Great Baked Ziti
- Use a large sauté pan so the sauce can simmer without overflowing.
- Cook the pasta al dente as it will continue to cook as it bakes.
- This dish can be baked in any large casserole dish.
- Top with fresh basil or parsley for serving.
- To make Baked Ziti ahead of time, prepare as directed and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes baking time if your recipe is chilly from the fridge.
- If desired, this can be divided into two 9-inch baking dishes and half can be frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake until hot and bubbly.
To Reheat Baked Ziti use either the microwave or pop it back in the oven on low, slow heat. Reheating baked ziti doesnt change the texture or the flavor, but adding an extra layer of shredded mozzarella to the top freshens it up just a bit!
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat the oven and cook and drain your pasta according to package directions.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix all of the ricotta cheese with part mozzarella and part parmesan along with the eggs, garlic, parsley, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to combine. The remaining mozzarella and parmesan will be used as the top layer just before baking.
Step 3: In a 9×13 baking dish, add half of the sauce and spread evenly all around the dish. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese mixture make sure its all coated evenly. Then spread that pasta mixture over top the sauce in the baking dish and top with remaining sauce, then remaining cheeses.
Step 4: Bake in the oven until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly brown. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
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Baked Ziti Casserole Recipe
Love lasagna? Then you need to try our Baked Ziti Casserole! Topped with creamy ricotta cheese, filled with warm ziti noodles, and covered in a meaty red sauce, this Italian-inspired Baked Ziti Casserole is out-of-this-world. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves for a color pop and keep your serving spoon out theres no doubt everyone will want seconds of this comfort food casserole.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Total Time 1 hours 0 minutes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Why We Love Baked Ziti
Rich, zesty, cheesy and best of all, its easy!
- Baked ziti with ricotta is an easy twist on a classic lasagna recipe.
- Instead of long lasagna noodles, we use ziti pasta and bake it with meat sauce and lots of cheese.
- It rivals any restaurant pasta for less cost and it has heaps of flavor!
- Adding Italian sausage to this ziti recipe makes a quick sauce taste like its been cooking for hours!
- This ziti dish is perfect to make ahead and it reheats and freezes well. Cook once and enjoy for days!
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How To Freeze Baked Ziti
Freezing baked ziti is easy. For a family of four, this recipe yields 10-12 servings. This leaves plenty of leftovers for dinner another night.
To freeze baked ziti, cut into portions, wrap each one in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave in the fridge overnight then warm in a 350 degrees F oven for 20-30 minutes in a foil covered baking dish. Alternatively, defrost the frozen ziti in the microwave at 50% power for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Italian Baked Ziti With Ricotta Cheese Recipe +video
Thanks for sharing! You rock!
Im excited to share my famous EASY Baked Ziti with Ricotta Cheese Recipe! This pasta with ricotta and tomato sauce pasta casserole is incredibly delicious and CHEESY! Its my signature recipe Its yummy Italian American comfort food thats so easy to make and serve. This recipe contains ricotta cheese in addition to mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Its a staple at parties of all kinds. Vegetarian
This Baked Ziti recipe variation had its 15 minutes of fame when I entered it into The San Georgio Pasta Contest hosted by WMMR in Philadelphia on the Barsky Show! Its my claim to fame!
I was so happy to get the email that I was selected to participate in the contest. The grand prize was dinner for two at a nice Italian restaurant with a limo driver and a LIFETIME supply of pasta!
I had been making this recipe for years and its my all-time favorite. But, Im not the only one that likes it. My friends, co-workers, family and anyone whos tried it, LOVES IT!
You may also like my Baked Ziti with Ground Beef and Provolone which is also fantastic.
It has incredible flavor but, thats mostly attributed to the homemade tomato sauce that you can find in my meatballs recipe. I HIGHLY SUGGEST making this recipe with my EASY homemade tomato sauce.
It makes a big batch and you can freeze it in smaller containers for later use. You dont have to make the meatballs to make the sauce either.
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Baked Ziti With Ricotta Cheese Is Great For:
- Communion, Confirmation and christening parties
- Christmas parties
Basically, anytime there are large gatherings of people to feed. But, you can make this on the weekend, or even a weeknight if you have time, and eat it until its gone. It tastes great the next day too!
Get what you need to make this delicious recipe and I promise you itll be the best Baked Ziti with Ricotta Cheese youve ever had if you use my tomato sauce recipe with it. But, if you dont have the time, use your favorite jarred sauce but, dont tell me. LOL!
Baked Ziti Without Ricotta
So what makes this the best baked ziti recipe? Our secret ingredient is cream cheese instead of ricotta!
A lot of recipes use ricotta cheese, but I think this ingredient substitution makes all the difference. Cream cheese is absolutely what makes this ziti recipe sooooo creamy and amazing. We cook the cream cheese directly into the marinara sauce before baking, which adds even more cheesy goodness into this pasta.
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Finish With Mozzarella And Paremsan Cheese For The Very Top Layer
Baked ziti recipe ricotta no meat. In a large skillet, add the oil. Add a pinch of salt too. Pour half of the ziti / sauce mixture into the prepared pan and then drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees f . Add the mixture to the ziti with the cheeses. Meanwhile, in a very large mixing bowl add:
Instead of long lasagna noodles, we use ziti pasta and toss it with the meat sauce. Spoon half the pasta into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce,.
Baked ziti with ricotta is a decadent italian delicacy of savory meat sauce, a delicate ricotta blend and ziti pasta secured by a melty mozzarella topping. And dont get me wrong: Cook for 15 minutes until no longer pink and thoroughly cooked.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, sugar and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. In a casserole dish , spoon a small amount of sauce to slightly cover bottom of dish.
Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Next, add cooked and drained ziti pasta and tomato sauce and stir until combined. Add the ground beef and ziti noodles into the spaghetti sauce and stir well to combine.
Ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, seasonings, and egg. Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. It rivals any dish ive had in a restaurant at a fraction of the cost with heaps of flavor !
How To Make Baked Ziti Recipe Baked ziti, Meals, Food
Easy Baked Ziti With Ricotta
Easy Baked Ziti with Ricotta is easy to make, ready is under an hour and classic Italian American comfort food! Made using tender ziti pasta, your favorite jar of spaghetti sauce, a creamy layer of ricotta cheese, ground beef and a generous sprinkling of mozzarella, this easy baked ziti recipe is everyones favorite dinner!
Easy baked ziti with ricotta is my all-time favorite . Its the perfect twist on a classic lasagna casserole.
Less work, less stress and no fighting with broken lasagna noodles.
Instead of using lasagna noodles, I make my baked ziti using tender ziti pasta mixed with my favorite jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce.
Then I add in ground beef, a layer of creamy ricotta cheese and a sprinkling of mozzarella and you have the ultimate comfort food meal!
Baked ziti is the perfect busy weeknight meal or binging out watching Netflix all weekend.
Super easy to throw together and ready to eat in under an hour, this is the perfect easy comfort food recipe.
Its also a great make ahead meal and it freezes beautifully.
That translates into you being able to have baked ziti any time you want! Just grab it out of your freezer and commence to eating!
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How Long Does It Take To Bake Ziti
When making a baked ziti dish, the pasta is first cooked in boiling water until it is al dente.
The ziti is then combined with sauce and other ingredients, such as cheese and meat, and baked in the oven until hot and bubbly.
The bake time will vary depending on the recipe, but most baked ziti dishes take about 30 minutes to prepare.
Baked Ziti With Sausage
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This bubbling baked ziti is perfect for feeding a crowd, and it freezes well too.
This baked ziti is a MAJOR family-pleaser. Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, its similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss its easy enough for a weeknight but also special enough for company and it makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. The dish can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. While the baked ziti is in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad and warm some bread in the oven.
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The Oregano And Red Pepper Flakes Bring A Boost Of Flavor Without Overcomplicating The Taste Of The Sauce And The Addition Of Spinach Was Great
Baked ziti recipe ricotta no meat. Cook for 15 minutes until no longer pink and thoroughly cooked. Add the mixture to the ziti with the cheeses. Cook ziti for 8 minutes and drain.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees f . Add the ground beef and ziti noodles into the spaghetti sauce and stir well to combine. Add a pinch of salt too.
Slow cooker baked ziti instructions: Top with remaining spaghetti sauce,. As someone whos also not the biggest fan of baked ricotta, debs baked ziti recipe was right up my alley.
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute 1 cup of chopped onion and 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper until the onion is translucent and bell pepper is tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Baked ziti with ricotta is a decadent italian delicacy of savory meat sauce, a delicate ricotta blend and ziti pasta secured by a melty mozzarella topping.
Boil/cook ziti according to package instructions. And dont get me wrong: Mix pasta sauce, ricotta and reserved pasta cooking water in large bowl.
In a medium skillet, add the ground turkey. Finish with mozzarella and paremsan cheese for the very top layer. Baked ziti recipe no meat with ricotta foto april 28, 2020 no comment baked ziti recipe 30 minute easy baked ziti a simple palate one pot baked ziti easy recipe four cheese baked ziti gone gourmet baked ziti with meat sauce i heart
In a large skillet, add the oil. Then spoon 6 dollops of the.
BestEver Baked Ziti Recipe Ziti recipes, Baked ziti
Ingredients In Baked Ziti
This recipe is a pretty basic version, but everyone who makes baked ziti has their own unique tricks and twists to it. Some vary the cheeses, some the meat, some make meatless versions, and some people leave out the tomato sauce for a truly cheese-tastic casserole.
This version uses bulk Italian sausage, as well as a key fresh herb. In summer, that would be basil. In winter, rosemary. You could also easily use savory, sage, thyme, or parsley.
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Reasons To Love This Recipe
- This baked ziti with ricotta recipe makes a 9 x 13 pan. Perfect for feeding a crowd and guarantees leftovers the next day.
- Classic baked ziti is the ultimate comfort food. Tender pasta, ground beef, your favorite sauce and tons of gooey cheese!
- This deconstructed lasagna recipe is ready to feed your face in under and hour. Thats impressive especially when you are hungry!!
- There are tons of different ways to make baked ziti but THIS recipe is easy, uncomplicated and super family friendly. Kids inhale it and ask for seconds!
- Perfect make ahead meal to take to potlucks, parties and get togethers. Also freezes beautifully so you can always have it on hand.
- This baked ziti recipe is also perfect to take to someone who just needs a comforting meal. Perfect for welcoming a new baby, to help someone who isnt feeling well or someone who just needs a little extra love!
- You cant go wrong with baked ziti! Its a classic Italian dish that everyone loves and even the leftovers never last!
To make this Easy Baked Ziti with ricotta recipe, you will need:
Can I Make Baked Ziti Ahead Of Time
Yes! This is a great dish to make ahead of time. You can make it just a couple days ahead of time, and keep it in the refrigerator.
Follow the recipe as is, assemble everything in the baking dish, but stop before baking. Instead, cover the ziti in the casserole dish and refrigerate it until ready to serve. It can be made up to 2 days ahead of baking.
When you want to serve it, let the ziti sit out while the oven preheats. Then just follow the rest of the baking instructions. Cover and bake at 375°F, then bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.
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The Best Pan For Baked Ziti
Regular readers know that I love cooking with my cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens! That’s why I prefer to make my vegetarian baked ziti in a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet. It saves me from washing extra dishes at the end, because cast iron skillets go from the stovetop to the oven. The vegetables, sauce, and pasta cook in the same skillet that you use to bake the casserole! More importantly, though, cast iron retains and evenly-distributes the heat better than any other type of pan. As a result, your baked ziti heats through evenly and you get those delicious crisp edges on the pasta and cheese. It’s heavenly!
Don’t worry, though — you don’t actually need a cast iron skillet to prepare this dish. Feel free to transfer the mixture to a standard 2-quart baking dish for the final step in the oven.
Best Baked Ziti Recipe No Ricotta
Recipes for baked ricotta and a discussion about ricotta infornata, a type of baked ricotta cheese sold in stores the spruce / jennifer meier ricotta is originally an italian cheese with a mild, milky flavor appropriate for both sweet and s best baked ziti recipe no ricotta
Three Cheese Baked Ziti | mama jess from mamajess.com
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Baked Ziti Vs Lasagna
Baked Ziti and lasagna are both common types of baked pasta recipes. They have a lot in common, but also some key differences.
Baked Ziti is a baked pasta dish that’s a mixture of ziti noodles, sauce, and a cheese mixture that includes ricotta cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and seasonings. This dish can include a meat sauce made with ground beef or sausage. In this baked ziti recipe, meat is omitted.
Lasagna is a layered pasta dish that’s made with a meat sauce, layers of lasagna noodles, a ricotta mixture including mozzarella cheese, egg and seasonings. Both dishes are typically baked in a lasagna pan or 9×13-inch baking pan and topped with shredded mozzarella.
How To Make The Best Baked Ziti Recipe
To begin, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the package directions. This will ensure the cooked pasta is slightly firmer than al dente when you add it to the other ingredients. It will continue cooking in the oven to the perfect doneness.
While the pasta cooks, add to a large bowl the ricotta, half the mozzarella , parmesan cheese , and egg, stirring until combined. Add in the pasta sauce and mix well. Once the past is done cooking, strain it and add it to the bowl with the other ingredients.
Pour or spoon pasta mixture into the prepared baking pan and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of parmesan. Cover with foil that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the pasta bake is bubbling and the cheese is browning on top.
Allow the baked dish to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into portions and serving.
If you are looking for another meatless dinner recipe, prepare this Chewy Pizza Dough recipe and create some fun cheesy pizza for dinner or add some delicious veggies to the top and dig in!
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