Baked Ziti Recipe

Baked Ziti is a lot greater than only a Bolognese pasta bake…. It’s an enormous, juicy baked pasta that’s loaded with flavour from a wholesome dose of seasonings and topped with a beneficiant quantity of cheese. Cosy meals that’s simple sufficient for midweek but worthy of firm.

Bonus: excellent freezer pleasant meal!

Let’s be clear right here – this isn’t simply one other pasta bake. That is the mom of all pasta bakes!

Whereas some recipes is perhaps happy making Baked Ziti utilizing a primary meat sauce, this one is made with a very good quantity of seasonings which provides a TON of flavour into the meat itself which then seeps into the tomato sauce because it simmers away….

It’s among the best pasta sauces you’ll ever make with out simmering for hours like we do for Ragu. It’s possible you’ll by no means make Bolognese once more – simply make spaghetti with THIS meat sauce as an alternative!😂

Baked Ziti is an American basic pasta bake made with a tomato primarily based meat sauce just like Bolognese. “Ziti” is a sort of pasta that appears like penne, besides it’s acquired a clean floor reasonably than ridges.

Whereas Baked Ziti is an Italian American dish, it has Italian origins – pasta bakes like this have existed in Italy for hundreds of years!

There’s no definitive option to make it. Some individuals like to make use of all beef, others pork, and a few use Italian sausages. Folks use completely different cheeses, some make it meatless, and everybody has completely different seasonings.

This model I make is a basic one – besides I like to make use of a lift of additional seasonings so the meat sauce is loaded with flavour!

Right here’s what goes in my Baked Ziti.

• Meat – Use all beef for a basic model, although if you wish to make the meat sauce much more superb, then use 50/50 pork and beef (pork makes the meat sauce richer and provides flavour!).

• Tomato Passata – Whereas most recipes will use peculiar crushed tomato for the sauce, I choose to make use of Tomato Passata* – generally known as tomato puree in America – as a result of it makes this pasta bake a lot juicier as a result of it’s thick and clean so it creates a greater sauce. There’s nothing sadder than breaking via that golden tacky prime to seek out dry pasta beneath!

  In distinction, crushed or diced tomato has chunks of tomato in a extra watery tomato sauce. It’ll nonetheless work, however the sauce gained’t be as thick and gained’t coat the pasta in addition to pictured. To make use of canned tomato in its place, it’s greatest so as to add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, to assist thicken it up a contact.

And listed below are the seasonings. Fennel is elective however in case you use a mixture of pork and beef for the meat sauce, it offers it an additional particular contact as a result of pork and fennel are a basic pairing!

If you understand how to make Bolognese, you’ll be proper at residence making Baked Ziti! After the meat sauce is made, it’s merely a matter of assembling:

• Combine some of the meat sauce via the pasta;

• Pour into baking dish;

• Prime with ricotta; and

• Pour over remaining meat sauce then prime with cheese.

America has a factor about including ricotta into Lasagna sort issues which we right here Down Beneath don’t. However out of respect for authenticity, I’ve gone with ricotta on this Baked Ziti and I’m fairly positive I’ll by no means return now. It’s like bonus creaminess in amongst all that tomatoey, meaty, tacky goodness…. 😂

Right here’s just a few ideas for issues to serve on the aspect. Clearly no person goes to complain in case you convey some Garlic Bread to the desk, however to get some greens into your meal, add a fast aspect salad! A basic pairing could be a Arugula/Rocket Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Shaved Parmesan.

Aspect salad ideas to serve with Baked Ziti

Higher-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread

Rocket Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Shaved Parmesan

Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil

Cucumber Salad with Herb Garlic French dressing

Caprese Salad

Aspect Salads

Ahh, the weekend is right here. I see myself on the sofa tonight, coddling a bowl of this Baked Ziti and binge watching one thing brainless on Netflix. Now that is a Friday evening value planning! – Johnsat x

Baked Ziti Recipe

Print

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 557 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 300g / 10oz ziti or penne pasta (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 small onion (brown, white or yellow), finely chopped
• 500g / 1 lb ground beef or pork OR 50/50 combo (Note 2)
• 700g / 24 oz tomato passata (pureed tomato, Note 3)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp EACH dried basil, oregano, sugar
• 1 cup ricotta , optional (Note 4)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or other melting cheese)
• 1 cup parmesan , freshly grated (optional)
• Finely chopped parsley or basil (optional garnish)
• 2 tsp fennel seeds (optional, Note 5)
• 1 tbsp paprika (plain or sweet)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper OR 3/4 tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp EACH salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook ziti for the recommended cooking time on the packet MINUS 2 minutes. (Note 5) Drain, then return to pot. 
2. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
3. Make Sauce: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
4. Add meat and cook, breaking it up as you go. When it is just cooked, add Seasonings and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add passata, water, basil, oregano and sugar. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste (remember it gets spread across lots of pasta).
6. Toss Ziti with Sauce: Pour about 2 cups of sauce into the pot with the ziti. Toss.
7. Assemble: Spread ziti into baking dish (23x33cm / 9×13"). Dollop with ricotta. Pour over remaining sauce. Top with cheese and parmesan. 
8. Bake: Cover loosely with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake further 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden.
9. Serve: Sprinkle with parsley or basil if desired, then serve!

Notes

1. Ziti – Penne and ziti are the same shape, but ziti is smooth whereas penne has ridges. If you can’t find Ziti, use penne or other pastas of similar shape such as rigatoni, spirals or even macaroni.
2. Meat – My favourite is 50/50 beef and pork (used in video) but I usually make this with all beef or all pork.
3. Tomato passata is called Tomato Puree in America. It is just plain, pureed tomato. It is NOT tomato paste which is sour, concentrated tomato. It creates a thicker smoother sauce than using crushed canned tomatoes. In Australia it’s available in supermarkets in the pasta section and the good value ones are cheaper than canned tomato. 
Substitute: Use 800g (28oz) can crushed tomato + 2 tbsp tomato paste. Or use a blender to puree canned tomatoes, or you use store bought plain pasta sauce (Marinara) instead or what’s called Tomato Sauce in America (which is passata with a small amount of seasonings).
4. Ricotta – optional. For a try Baked Ziti experience the classic American way, include it! Ensure you use a creamy ricotta  not dry crumbly one. If crumbly, make it creamier using milk or cream. 
5. Fennel is an essential seasoning in real Italian sausages. If you don’t like it / have it, this can be skipped.
6. Make ahead / storage: The best way is to cook the pasta, toss in a bit of oil then let it cool. Cook sauce then cool covered. Then assemble per recipe, stop with cheese, refrigerate or freeze. If frozen, defrost for 24 hours in the fridge. Then bake for around 30 – 35 minutes, being 25 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered (takes a bit longer when cooked from cold).

Did You Make This Recipe?

How you went with my recipes? Tag me on Instagram at @PenciDesign.

Share your love

Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

Articles: 1302