Why You’ll Love This Tacky Baked Ziti

• Comforting and Hearty: A heat, tacky casserole full of pasta, sausage, strong marinara sauce, and melty cheese – what’s to not love?
• Excellent for Meal Prep: Make it upfront and reheat for a fast, satisfying meal all through the week.
• Feeds a Crowd: Excellent for household gatherings, events, or potlucks.
• Customizable: You may simply modify the recipe to fit your preferences (vegetarian, spicy, further tacky, and many others.).
• Leftovers Style Higher: Like most baked pasta dishes, it Itastes even higher the following day!

Key Substances

You’ll discover the complete record of substances within the recipe card beneath, however listed below are some ingredient notes earlier than you get began.

• Pasta: The star of the dish! Ziti is a tubed pasta like penne, however the edges are reduce in a straight line as a substitute of at a slant. In case you can’t discover ziti, penne is a good choice since they’re very comparable. In case you want the recipe to be gluten-free, you should utilize gluten-free pasta.
• Sausage: Add Italian sausage for a meaty base that provides depth of taste. You may as well use floor beef or floor turkey. If you wish to make a vegetarian baked ziti, you possibly can omit the meat and add in your favourite greens like spinach, mushrooms, and peppers. This baked pasta dish is straightforward to adapt to your liking.
• Marinara Sauce: A wealthy, tomato-based sauce that ties the complete dish collectively. We like to make use of our Selfmade Simple Marinara Sauce or Sluggish Cooker Marinara Sauce for the easiest taste. After all, you probably have a favourite retailer purchased marinara sauce you should utilize that on this recipe to avoid wasting time. I at all times hold our do-it-yourself marinara sauce within the freezer so it is able to go!
• Cheese: There are three sorts of cheese: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan! The ricotta is tremendous creamy and the mozzarella melts fantastically, giving baked ziti its signature stretchy texture. I additionally like so as to add Parmesan cheese for further tacky goodness!

Make Baked Ziti

• Cook dinner the Pasta: Begin by boiling a big pot of salted water. Cook dinner the ziti pasta in keeping with the package deal directions, till it’s al dente. For the reason that pasta will cook dinner additional within the oven, you should definitely cook dinner it al dente to keep away from mushy pasta. Drain and drizzle with olive oil and provides it a superb stir. That is going to maintain all the things from sticking collectively!

• Cook dinner the sausage. In a big skillet, cook dinner the sausage over medium warmth, breaking it up with a wood spoon till it’s now not pink. This could take 5-7 minutes. As soon as accomplished, drain the fats and set it apart with the pasta.

• Combine Ricotta and Cheeses. In a medium mixing bowl mix ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and all of the seasonings.

• Combine collectively. Mix the pasta, ricotta combination, marinara sauce, and cooked sausage. Stir gently so the pasta noodles keep intact.

• Assemble. Pour the combination right into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

• Bake. Put the dish within the oven and bake for 25 to half-hour or till the cheese is golden and bubbly.

• Garnish. Let the pasta sit for five minutes, garnish with recent basil, and serve heat.

Make Forward

• Assemble and Hold within the Fridge: Make the baked ziti, however don’t bake! As an alternative, cowl with plastic wrap or foil and retailer within the fridge for as much as 2 days. Take away from the fridge and bake in keeping with recipe directions. You may need so as to add a couple of minutes to the baking time as a result of the pasta was chilly to begin with.
• Assemble and Freeze: Assemble all the things up till it’s time to bake in a disposable aluminum pan or freezer protected pan, then seal it properly with a lid or plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Pop it within the freezer and freeze for as much as 2 months. Let it defrost within the fridge for twenty-four hours earlier than baking! Then comply with, the baking directions.

Retailer & Reheat

• Storing within the Fridge: As soon as the pasta has cooled to room temperature, retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
• Freezing Leftovers: You may freeze leftovers for as much as 3 months. I wish to freeze leftovers in particular person parts. You may pull out the baked ziti if you want a simple lunch or dinner!
• Reheating: To reheat, merely microwave particular person servings or cowl the complete dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or till heated via. If frozen, let it thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.

Serving Ideas

Baked ziti could be very filling and good by itself, however if you wish to serve a full meal, listed below are just a few of our favourite aspect dishes to serve on the aspect.

Extra Pasta Recipes

Pasta

Baked Ziti

A giant pan of Baked Ziti full of pasta, cheese, sausage, and marinara sauce simply could be the perfect dinner ever, especifically when garlic bread is served on the aspect. This baked pasta is a household favourite!

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• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-baking dish with cooking spray and put aside.
• Deliver a giant pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dinner pasta till al dente. Use a colander to empty properly. Drizzle pasta with just a little olive oil and stir so it doesn’t stick collectively. Pour the pasta into a big bowl and put aside.
• In the meantime, in a giant sauté pan, warmth the oil over reasonable warmth. Add the Italian sausage and cook dinner, breaking apart the meat with a wood spoon, till it’s now not pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the surplus fats and put aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine collectively the ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed crimson pepper flakes, if utilizing. Season with salt and pepper.

• Add the ricotta combination to the pasta. Add the marinara sauce, cooked sausage, and stir till mixed, stirring gently to not break up the pasta noodles.

• Pour the pasta into the ready pan and high with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

• Bake for 25 to half-hour or till cheese is golden brown and the pasta is bubbly. Take away from the oven and let sit for five minutes. Garnish with recent basil, if desired, and serve heat.

Retailer leftovers within the fridge for as much as 5 days. You may as well make freeze for as much as 3 months. 

Energy: 528kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 27g, Fats: 28g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Calcium: 388mg, Iron: 3mg

Have you ever tried this recipe?

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