Description
A delicious baked ziti recipe with marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz ziti pasta (or penne)
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg (optional)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Cook the pasta in salted water and cook it a little under al dente. Drain it well.
- For the ricotta layer: Combine ricotta, egg (if using), a handful of Parmesan, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add chopped basil or parsley if desired.
- Mix the pasta with enough marinara sauce to coat. If using cooked sausage or ground meat, mix it into the sauce.
- Place half the sauced pasta in the dish. Add half the ricotta mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat with remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, and top generously with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
- Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can add cooked sausage or ground meat to the pasta for a heartier dish.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg