Best Ever Baked Ziti | Easy Cheesy Italian Pasta Bake
A hearty Italian pasta bake with meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and ziti pasta. Layers of savory, creamy, and melted cheese create a golden, bubbly casserole. Pork-free and non-alcoholic.
Ingredients
- Fresh marinara sauce or quality store-bought
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (chopped)
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (pork-free), casings removed
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup hot Italian sausage (pork-free), casings removed
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup non-alcoholic red-wine substitute (e.g., unsweetened grape juice)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 lbs ziti pasta
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated provolone (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot until softened.
- Add pork-free sweet Italian sausage and ground beef. Cook until browned, breaking into crumbles.
- Stir in garlic, mozzarella for 10 minutes
- Toss ziti pasta with 1 cup marinara in a bowl
- Layer pasta in the baking dish
- Repeat meat sauce and pasta layers
- Spread mozzarella covered with remaining sauce
- Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden
Notes
Use halal-certified pork-free sausages
Non-alcoholic red-wine substitute can be 1:1 grape juice + a pinch of cinnamon
Let rest 10 minutes before serving
Garnish with fresh basil if desired
Non-alcoholic red-wine substitute can be 1:1 grape juice + a pinch of cinnamon
Let rest 10 minutes before serving
Garnish with fresh basil if desired
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 34gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 900mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9g
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