Cheesy Easy Baked Ziti Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I cook baked ziti covered or uncovered? ›

Should I cover Baked Ziti while it's baking? Yes. Cover loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!

I always add a lot of sauce and that helps prevent the dried out top layer. Take out of the oven as soon as cheese is melted and golden. It's also important to make sure all pasta is covered with sauce.

In a medium mixing bowl combine ricotta, egg, half the mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan, and all the seasonings. Combine the pasta, ricotta mixture, marinara sauce, and cooked sausage. Stir gently so the pasta noodles stay intact, and then pour it into a greased 9×13-inch pan.

Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is keto-friendly and can be used as a substitute for ricotta in both sweet and savory dishes. It's rich and creamy, adding a similar texture.

Layering is important (but easy!)

It bakes up golden-brown — the hallmark of a good pasta casserole. Make sure there is enough sauce to use as a layer at the top, under the mozzarella. This will insulate the pasta and keep it from drying out.

PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees. COMBINE uncooked pasta, 1 jar of Sauce and 1 jar of water in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil. BAKE 30 minutes.

Don't let your freshly cooked Baked Ziti sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours before refrigerating. This prevents bacterial growth. When reheating your chilled Baked Ziti, make sure that it is heated thoroughly. This should sanitize any potential bacterial growth that may have occurred during storage.

Baked ziti should not sit out longer than 2 hours after baking because that is when bacteria will start to grow. Refrigerate as soon as cooled.

Scientists have discovered that bacteria in cooling pasta can grow rapidly every 20 minutes, Even if you put the pasta in the fridge overnight, it would be inedible the following day. The longest time you can keep pasta at room temperature is two hours. But only if you keep it from hot or any contaminated surfaces.

Ricotta cheese – It creates a creamy layer in the center of the baked ziti. For the best texture, make sure to use whole milk ricotta in this recipe.

What is a good side dish for baked ziti? ›

Pair baked ziti with an Italian-style vegetable, such as grilled zucchini or a simple salad with Italian dressing. The rich textures of meat and cheese are balanced with the fresh, palate-cleansing crunch of the side veggie. Obviously a bread of some sort and a garlic balsamic vinegar mixture for the bread….

Ricotta Substitutes

If you don't have ricotta on hand, here are six totally solid substitutes. Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a rich, soft Italian cheese. It's similar to cream cheese in texture but is made with heavy cream rather than milk. If you're wondering what is ricotta cheese substitute for desserts, mascarpone is a great option.

You can substitute it, but consider these few factors, there is a lot more salt in cream cheese than in ricotta so you will have to adjust the over all salt. Cream cheese is a bit more tart than ricotta.

Most traditional lasagna doesn't use ricotta cheese. Instead, bechamel sauce mixed with parmesan cheese is used.

Bake, uncovered, 350°F until lightly browned and bubbly, 60 to 70 minutes. Cover with foil if the top browns before the inside is fully heated. Freezing and reheating a baked ziti: Bake, covered with foil, at 350°F. (Make sure you remove any plastic wrap first.)

Leaving the pot uncovered is also key because pasta should be stirred frequently to prevent sticking. Plus, because pasta should be cooked until al dente, a lid will make it hard to decipher how far along you are in the process, and might even lead to mushy noodles, which is the last thing you want.

I boil my pasta to just under a minute of “al dente” and then after my layering it typically bake it uncovered because I want the crusty cheese on top.

In an oven preheated to 375 degrees F, this homemade lasagna should be perfectly baked in about 50 minutes (30-40 minutes covered, 5-10 minutes uncovered).