Mom's Easy Baked Ziti Recipe

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese offers a similar texture with fewer calories.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Provolone is often less expensive and melts well.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner and often cheaper.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a lower-calorie alternative with cheesy flavor.

Cook ziti noodles a little under al dente, then rinse with cool water and drain.

Chop breakfast sausage, diced pepperoni, and Italian sausage, then add to a deep skillet.

Break up the ground breakfast sausage and add in the Italian sausage, cooking until browned.

Add chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and stir until fragrant.

Sprinkle in a lot of Italian seasoning and stir to combine.

Drain excess fat from the skillet, leaving a little for flavor.

Add diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, and four cheese spaghetti sauce to the skillet, using half of each.

Stir the sauce mixture and bring it to a boil, then cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, adding more marinara or spaghetti sauce if it gets too thick.

In a separate bowl, mix together six blend Italian cheese, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and beaten egg.

Add fresh basil to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

Toss the cooked ziti noodles into the cheese mixture to keep it creamy.

Add the reserved meat sauce to the noodle and cheese mixture and stir well.

In a casserole dish, add a thin layer of meat sauce to the bottom to prevent sticking.

Layer half of the noodle mixture in the casserole dish, followed by half of the meat mixture, and pack it down.

For the middle layer, add triple cheddar and thin slices of smoked Gouda cheese.

Add the final layer of noodles and top with the remaining meat sauce.

Finish by topping with the Italian cheese blend.

Bake at 375°F for about 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Let sit before serving, but serve immediately from the oven if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens