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A hand serving the baked ziti right our of the pan using a spoon showing the cheesy baked ziti pasta and sauce

Baked Ziti Recipe

This Baked Ziti Recipe is known as Grandma’s Baked Ziti among our friends. It’s an old recipe from Joann’s grandma and it’s worth a share here! So I’ve shared it today with a video, and you’ll see how easy and delicious it is!

Course Comfort Meals, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Baked Ziti, Baked Ziti recipe, How to Make Baked Ziti
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 747 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion minced
  • 1 pound ground beef or sausage or 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms for vegetarian option
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 jars Prego®+ Hidden with Super Veggies pasta sauce

Assemble and Layer

  • 1 pound ziti pasta cooked at 4-5 minutes only
  • 3-4 slices provolone or havarti cheese
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet or cast iron pan, preheat the olive oil and add the onion and beef.
  2. Season the mixture with all the seasonings and cook until the beef starts to crumble and cook through.
  3. Add the Prego®+ Hidden with Super Veggies pasta sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes longer over medium low heat.
  4. Assemble the baked ziti. Start by preheating the oven to 375º F.
  5. Layer a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with half the cooked pasta.
  6. Top the pasta with the sliced cheeses and spread the sour cream over it.
  7. Add half the pasta sauce and spread it evenly over the sour cream.
  8. Now top that with the remaining pasta.
  9. Then add the mozzarella cheese.
  10. And finally add the remaining Prego®+ Hidden with Super Veggies sauce over the cheese.
  11. Finish off the casserole with parmesan cheese and half the herbs.
  12. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an extra 10 minutes until the baked ziti is bubbly.
  13. Remove the dish from the oven and serve with extra parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
  14. ENJOY

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

TIPS FOR EASY BAKED ZITI

  1. Use a quality-tasting pasta sauce like Prego®+ Hidden with Super Veggies for quality-tasting baked ziti. Remember when it comes to pasta dishes, it’s all about the sauce!
  2. Undercook your pasta tremendously to avoid mushy baked ziti casserole.
  3. You can skip the beef and make this a vegetarian dish by substituting sliced mushrooms.
  4. Using sour cream instead of ricotta in this baked ziti recipe helps the sauce blend better.
  5. Use your favorite combination of cheeses, but try to make them three different types.
  6. For a saucy baked ziti, don’t skimp on the sauce! Add enough to keep your casserole saucy.
  7. If you want a pink-sauce baked ziti, you can add 1 cup of heavy cream to the Prego®+ Hidden with Super Veggies sauce mixture.
  8. Freeze the assembled casserole before baking, to save for busy days. Simply bake from frozen (adding 20-25 minutes more) or defrost the casserole and bake it thawed for an extra 10 minutes.
  9. You can also freeze the fully baked casserole and reheat in the oven (frozen or thawed), adjusting the time to vary between 10-20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Baked Ziti Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 747 Calories from Fat 333
% Daily Value*
Fat 37g57%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 699mg30%
Potassium 605mg17%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 39g78%
Vitamin A 986IU20%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 436mg44%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.