Baked Ziti is the ultimate comfort food for a crowd or just a family night dinner, rich and gooey with layers of pasta, creamy meat sauce, and three different kinds of cheese.
EASIEST BAKED ZITI YOU WILL EVER MAKE
Baked Ziti is the easiest and quickest casserole dish you will ever make. You can have a fantastic meal in about an hour, a perfect weeknight meal.
As soon as the weather cools, I start cooking comfort food, like this Super Easy Baked Ziti. Total comfort food in a bowl.
Baked Ziti is the Mother of all pasta dishes. The recipe has existed in Italy for ages. There are so many ways to make it, including making the sauces from scratch or using a jar sauce, mixing the sauces together or not, and using ricotta or not.
I make a lot of casserole recipes from scratch, but this is one time I prefer to use the jar sauce. The recipe just became Americanized.
I like Rao's brand for the jar sauce for the Homemade Marinara and Alfredo sauce.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR BAKED ZITI
Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for the Baked Ziti and similar recipe ideas you can have.
Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.
TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKE THE BEST SUPER EASY BAKED ZITI
CAN I USE DIFFERENT PASTA? Yes. The recipe is adaptable to almost any pasta, but I recommend penne pasta, rigatoni pasta, and especially ziti pasta.
Can I cook perfect pasta? Yes. Provided your box directions are clear, cook the pasta carefully. The ideal cooked pasta is al dente (a little undercooked.) The pasta will continue to cook when the sauce is incorporated and during the baking.
Do I have to use lean hamburger? No. You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, and a personal favorite, ground Italian sausage.
Can I cook Baked Ziti ahead of time? Yes. Prepare as directed, except for adding the buttered panko bread crumbs. Reserve until baking. Refrigerate the prepared Ziti for up to 24 hours. Allow 10-15 minutes additional baking time.
Can I freeze Baked Ziti? Yes. I like to divide the recipe into two baking dishes: bake one and the other, wrap it well with aluminum foil, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze. Adjust the time when baking.
Can I cook perfect pasta? Yes. Provided your box directions are clear, cook the pasta carefully. The ideal cooked pasta is al dente (a little undercooked.) The pasta will continue to cook when the sauce is incorporated and during the baking.
Do I have to use lean hamburger? No. You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, and a personal favorite, ground Italian sausage.
Can I cook Baked Ziti ahead of time? Yes. Prepare as directed, except for adding the buttered panko bread crumbs. Reserve until baking. Refrigerate the prepared Ziti for up to 24 hours. Allow 10-15 minutes additional baking time.
Can I freeze Baked Ziti? Yes. I like to divide the recipe into two baking dishes: bake one and the other, wrap it well with aluminum foil, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze. Adjust the time when baking.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE SUPER EASY BAKED ZITI
Large skillet or stockpot
Ziti pasta
Lean ground beef
Onion
Favorite jar marinara sauce
Favorite jar alfredo sauce
Riccota
Mozzarella cheese
Panko bread crumbs
Butter
Ziti pasta
Lean ground beef
Onion
Favorite jar marinara sauce
Favorite jar alfredo sauce
Riccota
Mozzarella cheese
Panko bread crumbs
Butter
HOW TO MAKE SUPER EASY BAKED ZITI
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a nonstick cooking spray, spray a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large skillet or stockpot, brown lean ground beef. Add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Drain the excess liquid in a colander.
Prepare the ziti pasta according to package directions while the hamburger is draining.
Pour the lean ground beef mixture back into the large skillet. Add the marinara sauce, simmer the hamburger mixture while the ziti pasta is finished cooking, and drain well.
Add the well drained ziti pasta to the lean ground beef mixture. Stir well, then add the jar of alfredo sauce. Stir well again, incorporating the alfredo sauce into the mixture.
Add a third of the ziti mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Spoon a layer of ricotta cheese evenly over the ziti mixture.
Add a third of the ziti mixture evenly over the layer of ricotta.
Spoon a layer of ricotta cheese evenly over the ziti mixture.
Add the final layer of ziti mixture evenly over the layer of ricotta cheese.
Sprinkle the top evenly with mozzarella cheese.
Mix the melted butter with the panko bread crumbs.
Over the mozzarella cheese, sprinkle evenly the buttered panko bread crumbs.
Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the panko bread crumbs are golden brown. If the bread crumbs become too brown before the cheese bubbles, cover with aluminum foil until finished baking.
Cool slightly before serving.
In a large skillet or stockpot, brown lean ground beef. Add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Drain the excess liquid in a colander.
Prepare the ziti pasta according to package directions while the hamburger is draining.
Pour the lean ground beef mixture back into the large skillet. Add the marinara sauce, simmer the hamburger mixture while the ziti pasta is finished cooking, and drain well.
Add the well drained ziti pasta to the lean ground beef mixture. Stir well, then add the jar of alfredo sauce. Stir well again, incorporating the alfredo sauce into the mixture.
Add a third of the ziti mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Spoon a layer of ricotta cheese evenly over the ziti mixture.
Add a third of the ziti mixture evenly over the layer of ricotta.
Spoon a layer of ricotta cheese evenly over the ziti mixture.
Add the final layer of ziti mixture evenly over the layer of ricotta cheese.
Sprinkle the top evenly with mozzarella cheese.
Mix the melted butter with the panko bread crumbs.
Over the mozzarella cheese, sprinkle evenly the buttered panko bread crumbs.
Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the panko bread crumbs are golden brown. If the bread crumbs become too brown before the cheese bubbles, cover with aluminum foil until finished baking.
Cool slightly before serving.
WHERE YOU WILL SEE THIS RECIPE
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