Baked ziti has always been my favorite comfort food since I was young & one of my go-tos at Italian restaurants. I only felt it was right to throw together my own "quick" under $30 recipe for my boyfriend that was also high in protein. You know men and their proteinnnnnn. Below you'll find all the ingredients and steps you'll need for the tastiest baked ziti ever!
Ingredients:
1 pound of ziti pasta
32 oz jar of crushed tomatoes
1 sweet onion diced
7 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup water (add it straight to the jar to get the rest of the sauce in the pan)
One 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
One 8 oz package of shredded mozzarella cheese or a log of fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup of fresh basil (feel free to add more if you love the aroma of basil!)
16 oz of sweet or hot sausage (remove casings or use ground sausage)
Extra virgin olive oil
Step 1: Cook the Sausage
In a deep pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and your sausage.
If using sausage links, remove from the casings.
Cook it fully and remove to a separate bowl with a slotted spoon.
Step 2: Cook the Sauce
Using the leftover juices from the sausage, add your onion and garlic to the same pan.
Sauté the veggies until translucent on medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan.
Optional: Add a splash of water to the jar, put the top back on, and shake it up to get any excess tomatoes, then add it to the pan.
Mix it togeth and bring to a low boil.
Add the sausage back in and mix.
Bring to a boil then remove from heat (Jump to the next step while you let it boil).
Step 3: Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the ziti pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain the water then add the pasta to the bowl the sausage was previously in or the pot you used.
Add the ricotta, parmesan cheese, basil, and about 3/4 of the sauce & sausage to the pasta and mix.
Step 4: Preheat and Bake
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place half of the remaining sauce at the bottom of a glass baking dish or half-deep dish pan.
Add the pasta, the rest of the sauce, and the mozzarella cheese on top.
Once the oven is preheated, bake the pasta for 20 minutes or until the cheese is crisp and bubbling.
Tip: If you want to make the baking process faster, opt for 15 min in the oven & 3 min on high broil. Just make sure to watch the baked ziti, so it doesn't burn.
Video:
For a step-by-step visual guide, check out my videos below:
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So easy to follow the recipe and make! I doubled and put in trays. One for now one for later! Super yummy will be making again.