Baked Ziti

Picture this! You have a crowd of people coming over to your home. You are short on time and don’t have all day to stand in front of the stove; you want to make a tasty, easy meal fast! This Baked Ziti recipe will knock your socks off. It’s that good.

This has to be one of the easiest go-to meals ever! The major bonus is that with a few simple ingredients, it comes together really fast—in less than 30 minutes! And it is way tastier than you can imagine. I have made Baked Ziti a few times and kept thinking, “It’s missing something; it could be better.” I’m all about whipping up tasty meals that embed a strong core memory of satisfaction. It’s the one that has you thinking about Baked Ziti when you’re craving something delicious. It reminds you that all recipes should always be extraordinary.

You’re going to have a blast making this recipe, it comes down to preparing the sauce, cooking the pasta, layering it into a casserole, adding the cheese and then you bake it in the oven. Its a mostly hand’s off type of meal. And that’s why we love it! So let’s get to it.

Ingredients

Meatballs, Onions, Tomato Paste, Napoletana sauce, Garlic cloves, Sliced Olives and Jalapeno chilies, Salami, Feta Cheese, Heavy Cream, Bell Pepper, Oyster Sauce, Penne Pasta.

A store-bought tomato sauce will simplify the entire process. Think of Basilico, Arrabiata, Napoleata. Avoid passata, which requires a lot of time and the melding of flavours to hit the right notes.

Meatballs in Baked Ziti? Yeah, you heard right, and it’s amazing. You can use store-bought or homemade meatballs for this recipe. Mincemeat will also work in this recipe. Choose beef or chicken. Sliced salami was used in this recipe. It adds a different note to the meatball and complements it perfectly.

Garlic cloves and onions are caramelized for this recipe to add a touch of sweetness. Sliced olives add that lovely briny taste from soaking in salt water. Jalapeno chilies are diced into smaller bits to make it less spicy in the Baked Ziti.

Would you choose Penne pasta over Ziti Pasta? The Penne pasta’s ridges hold the tomato sauce’s rich flavours much better.

The vinegary afternotes help to cut through the tomato sauce. Tomato paste adds that concentrated flavour to tomatoes. Why Feta cheese and not ricotta cheese? I am not a huge fan of that bland taste. Feta is smooth, soft, and creamy. Combined with Heavy cream, it creates a vibrant tasting Baked Ziti.

Oyster sauce is an odd ingredient, but it adds an umami flair. Bell Peppers are optional. You can add your favourite vegetables to this dish.

Instructions

Meatballs: For this recipe, we are using frozen store-bought beef meatballs. Add oil to a pan, and set the temperature to medium-low heat. Sauté the meatballs until they are cooked. Thereafter, remove the meatballs and set aside.

Slice up the garlic cloves, jalapeno chilies, onions and salami. Cook the ingredients for five minutes until it has caramelized, on medium-low heat. Add the tomato paste and feta cheese. Make the penne pasta.

Did you know that during the period of the renaissance, ‘Ziti al Forno’ was served to the noble families at weddings.

Mix the ingredients well. Add the meatballs and the Napoletana sauce. Stir well. Lightly smash the meat balls with the back of a spoon. Cook for five minutes. Make the pasta and cook it just short of the nine-minute mark. Turn of the heat and immediately reserve some pasta water for the sauce. Drain the rest of the pasta. Add it to the sauce. Add the pasta water.

Mix well. Add the pasta with the sauce to the casserole. Make sure to fill it to the top and adapt the recipe according to the portions that you are making. If you’re making a large portion, use a larger casserole; use enough pasta to fill the casserole right to the top. Add slices of your favourite cheese. For this recipe, we’ve chosen Roumy cheese, an Egyptian cheese. It is a type of hard cheese aged three to four months.

It belongs to the same family of cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano and Manchego. It has a slightly pungent smell that is cheesy but delightful when melted or baked in the oven. Another comparable cheese is Kefalotyri, which is a Greek cheese. You can also use Mozzarella cheese with a light sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese on top of the baked ziti before adding it to the oven. A sharp cheddar cheese will also work well for this recipe. The important part for cooking is using what you have and making the best of it.

Bake the ziti in the oven for 15 minutes at 145°C (293°F), or until the cheese has melted. The baked ziti is now ready to eat and enjoy.

Which is the best tomato sauce to use in Baked Ziti?

You can use a homemade tomato sauce or a Marinara sauce. The interesting thing about Baked Ziti is that there are many store-bought tomato sauces that can be used as a substitute for homemade pasta sauce. For a Spicier Baked Ziti, use Arrabiata sauce. For a Sweeter variation with a ‘herb-side appeal‘🤣, consider using a Basilico sauce.

What to Serve with Baked Ziti?

Many dishes would pair well with this Baked Ziti. Consider Garlic Bread for an extra garlicky flavor. Another great option is our easy grilled cajun Shrimp, which uses only three ingredients and comes together in 15 minutes. For an extra deluxe experience, try our caprese salad with an easy two-ingredient balsamic reduction sauce that takes five minutes but tastes super delicious. Finally, Brushetta is another perfect accompaniment to Baked Ziti.

How to Store Baked Ziti?

Store in the fridge for two to three days. Reheat in microwave. You can also freeze Baked Ziti for three months. If you’re making a large batch, and want to eat it often. Consider portioning out the baked ziti accordingly. This would make the process of defrosting and thawing a breeze. Simply place the desired portion in containers and place in the freezer. Defrost on the counter-top for two hours and then reheat in the microwave.