Description
Baked Ziti with Mozzarella: An Incredible Ultimate Recipe
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef (cooked and crumbled)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the ziti pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups of marinara sauce with the cooked and crumbled sausage (if using).
- In a large baking dish, begin layering:
- Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom.
- Add half of the cooked ziti pasta.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta.
- Sprinkle with one cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, ending with marinara sauce on top.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top layer of marinara sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Once removed from the oven, let the dish sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set.
Notes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg