This casserole is hot, cheesy comfort food goodness. Baked ziti is like lasagna's fun, slightly chaotic cousin—just as cheesy and comforting, but much less work. It's saucy, gooey, and over-the-top in all the best ways. This baked ziti is a family favorite pasta casserole. It's hearty, cozy, and wonderfully hard to mess up. It has all the good stuff: rich tomato sauce, plenty of melty cheese, and ziti noodles—or whatever pasta shape happens to be hanging out in the pantry.
YIELDS: 12 serving(s)
PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 45 mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 whole large onion,
diced - 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 (28-oz.) can whole
tomatoes, with juice - 2 (14.5-oz.) cans tomato
sauce or marinara sauce - 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to
taste - 16 oz. ziti or mostaccioli,
cooked until not quite al
dente - 15 oz. whole milk ricotta
cheese - 1 1/2 lb. mozzarella
cheese, grated and divided - 1/2 cup grated parmesan
cheese - 1 egg
- Freshly chopped parsley
Directions
1.) Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for several
minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the
Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until
browned. Drain off the fat, leaving a bit behind
for flavor and moisture.
2.) Add the tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce,
Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and
pepper. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce
to a bowl to cool down.
3.) Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To a separate bowl, add the ricotta cheese, 2
cups of grated mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt,
and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times
(do not mix completely).
4.) Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to
stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour the cooked pasta into the bowl with the cheese
mixture and toss to slightly combine (there
should still be large lumps). Add the cooled
meat sauce and toss to combine.
5.) Add half of the coated pasta to a large casserole
dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the
top, then top with half of the remaining
mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of
the coated pasta, sauce, and mozzarella. Bake
until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from
the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before
serving. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the
pasta before serving.
Recipe from: thepioneerwoman
Photo from: The Pioneer Women recipe/ Ree Drummond
