Should Baked Ziti be cooked covered or uncovered?

This recipe calls for baking the casserole uncovered.

How do you make Baked Ziti not dry?

Make it saucy! The key is to add enough sauce. Too little and your baked ziti recipe with ground beef and sausage could turn into the Sahara Desert. But fear not, we've got the perfect ratios for you in the recipe below.

What can I use instead of ricotta cheese in Baked Ziti?

Cottage cheese or cream cheese can be great substitutes. But if you want to keep it Italian, try mascarpone.

What kind of pasta is used in Ziti?

Ziti is the name of the pasta itself - it's a tube-shaped pasta, slightly smaller and narrower than penne.

What's the difference between Baked Ziti and Lasagna?

Baked Ziti is pasta tossed with sauce and cheese, then baked until bubbly and delicious. Ziti is just the pasta. As for lasagna, it's a similar dish but uses flat lasagna noodles layered with sauce and cheese.

Can I make this Baked Ziti ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can assemble this pasta casserole up to a day ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake it.

Can I freeze Baked Ziti?

Yes, you can freeze this easy baked ziti recipe for up to 3 months. Cook the ingredients and assemble the casserole per the recipe instructions below. Let the dish cool entirely prior to wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then a double layer of aluminum foil before freezing. When you're ready to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in the oven. ( I like to use these pans so they can go from freezer to oven . A bonus is that they are disposable so there are fewer dishes too!)

How do I cook a Baked ziti from frozen?

First, peel back the foil and remove the plastic wrap. Next, cover the top with new foil and bake for 60-70 minutes at 375° or until heated through. A thermometer inserted in the center should read 165°. Remove the foil and bake the ziti casserole for 10 more minutes or so to brown the top. Pull the dish from the oven and let it sit for another 10 minutes before serving.

Easy Baked Ziti

Baked ziti in a white casserole dish on top of a blue striped napkin, next to a small plate a fork, glass of red wine, bottle of red wine, bowl of parsley and a stack of breadsticks. Green parsley is sprinkled on baked ziti and counter.

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Easy to prepare and sure to please, Baked Ziti is the ultimate crowd-pleaser when comfort food is on the menu!

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1-pound ground beef
1-pound Italian sausage
48-ounce jarred marinara or pasta sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ziti pasta
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, grated
One 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley), plus more for sprinkling

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for several minutes until softened.
Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until browned.
Next, add the jarred marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer.
In a large pot of salted water, bring water to a boil and cook Ziti according to package instructions, but not quite al dente. Drain pasta in a colander.
While pasta is cooking, mix 2 cups of grated mozzarella, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and parsley in a separate bowl.
Mix meat sauce, drained pasta and cheese mixture in a large bowl and pour into a large baking dish.
Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving and sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta if desired.

Find it online: https://homesweetfarmhome.com/easy-baked-ziti/