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A hearty and cheesy baked pasta dish featuring a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and a golden mozzarella topping. This classic Italian-American casserole is the ultimate comfort food for family dinners.
For 8 servings
Preheat Oven and Cook Pasta
Prepare the Meat Sauce
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A hearty and cheesy baked pasta dish featuring a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and a golden mozzarella topping. This classic Italian-American casserole is the ultimate comfort food for family dinners.
This italian_american recipe takes 85 minutes to prepare and yields 8 servings. At 824.25 calories per serving with 53.19g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for dinner or main_course.
Mix the Ricotta Filling
Assemble the Casserole
Bake the Ziti
Rest and Serve
Omit the ground beef and sausage. Sauté 1 lb of chopped mushrooms, 1 chopped zucchini, and 1 chopped bell pepper with the onion until tender. You can also add a 15-oz can of rinsed lentils to the sauce for extra protein.
Use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet, and increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon or more, according to your preference.
Add 1 cup of shredded provolone cheese to the mozzarella for a more complex and sharp cheese flavor.
Use ground turkey instead of beef, part-skim ricotta and mozzarella, and add finely chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture for extra nutrients.
With ground beef, sausage, and three types of cheese, this dish is packed with protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
The generous amounts of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese make this a great source of calcium, a mineral vital for strong bones and teeth.
The pasta provides complex carbohydrates, which are broken down slowly by the body to offer a steady and sustained release of energy.
Cooked tomatoes in the sauce are an excellent source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and is linked to various health benefits.
A typical serving of this rich baked ziti contains approximately 750-850 calories. The exact number can vary based on the fat content of your meat and the specific brands of cheese used.
Baked ziti is a calorie-dense comfort food, high in carbohydrates, protein, and fat. While it's not considered a 'health food,' it provides significant protein for muscle support and calcium for bone health. It's best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Yes, this dish is perfect for making ahead. You can assemble the entire casserole, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if it's going into the oven straight from the fridge.
The main difference is the pasta shape and assembly. Lasagna uses wide, flat pasta sheets layered with sauce and cheese. Baked ziti uses tube-shaped pasta (like ziti or penne) that is typically mixed with the sauce before being layered with the cheese fillings.
Absolutely. If you can't find ziti, other tube-shaped pastas like penne or rigatoni are excellent substitutes as they hold the sauce well.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover the baking dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through.