As soon as the weather turns cool, I grab the cozy sweaters and start cooking all the comfort food, like this Easy Baked Ziti recipe. It’s rich and gooey with its layers of pasta, homemade red sauce with Italian sausage, and blend of melty cheeses. It’s total comfort in a bowl. And the best part is that homemade Baked Ziti is not fussy at all. You don’t have to worry about delicate sheet pasta or tedious layering. It’s all the great flavors of lasagna in a freeform delicious casserole!
What Is Baked Ziti?
Baked ziti is a super cozy pasta casserole made with ziti pasta (a smooth tube-shaped pasta), red sauce, and a mix of cheeses (ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan). It has many of the same ingredients as a classic lasagna, but the structure is much more freeform, making it really fast and easy to make.
Ingredients
Italian Sausage
Onion
Tomato Paste and Crushed Tomatoes
Italian seasoning
Ziti
Cheese
Parsley (optional)
Can I Add Vegetables?
Yes! I almost always add extra vegetables to whatever I’m cooking, but today I decided to go with the classic form of Baked Ziti. If I were to add vegetables, I would probably add some fresh spinach into the sauce and stir until it is wilted. Or, roast some broccoli, zucchini, or eggplant, and then toss that into the sauce.
What to Serve with Baked Ziti?
Homemade Garlic Bread is awesome with this recipe, but if you want some vegetables on the side I would go with something like Oven Roasted Frozen Broccoli, or a simple side salad.
How to Store the Leftovers
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I highly suggest dividing the leftovers into single servings so they cool quickly in the refrigerator. This recipe makes 8 large servings, so once the servings are cooled completely in the refrigerator, you can transfer a few to the freezer for longer storage. Then each serving is just a quick microwave away from being a filling last-minute dinner!
Directions
Step 1
Gather all ingredients.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
Step 3
Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 4
Spread 1/2 of the ziti in the bottom of the prepared dish.
Step 5
Top with Provolone cheese.
Step 6
Top with sour cream.
Step 7
Add 1/2 of the meat sauce, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining meat sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 8
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheeses have melted, about 30 minutes.
