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–+ servings
Baked Ziti
4 from 2 votes

Baked Ziti Recipe

This baked ziti recipe is made with a homemade marinara sauce that has onion, green peppers, and garlic. You fold ziti noodles and cheese into the sauce and bake for a baked pasta dish that everyone will love. 
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 1 hour
Fat 18
Carbs 29
Protein 24
Yield 8

Ingredients

  • ½ lb. ground pork
  • ½ lb. ground turkey
  • ½ medium white onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon dried fennel
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
  • 1 large green bell pepper diced
  • ½ cup full fat ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup grated mozzarella
  • 16 oz. uncooked ziti pasta

Toppings

  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • Fresh parsley for topping

Instructions

  • Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
  • Add the ground turkey and ground pork to the dutch oven and break the meat up into small pieces. 
  • Next, add the white onion to the Dutch oven and toss the onion with the meat. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 
  • Add the garlic powder, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, chili powder, marjoram, fennel, salt and pepper to the Dutch oven and mix until the spices are well combined with the meat. Cook the meat and spices together for 2-3 minutes. 
  • Deglaze the pot with red wine and scrape the bottom of the dutch oven with a spatula to remove brown bits. 
  • Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and the bell pepper to the dutch oven and whisk the ingredients together. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. 
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the ziti to the pot. Under cook the pasta so it still has a crunch, less cooked than al dente. 
  • Strain the water from the pasta and rinse the pasta with cold water. Set aside. 
  • Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella to the tomato sauce and mix until the cheese is melted. 
  • Add the cooked ziti to the Dutch oven and mix. 
  • Cover the dutch oven and bake it for 20 minutes at 350ºF. 
  • Remove the Dutch oven after 20 minutes and sprinkle with the additional parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. 
  • Turn the oven to broil and place the dutch oven into the oven and broil until the cheese is golden brown. 
  • Remove the baked ziti from the oven, sprinkle with fresh thyme. 
  • Let the baked ziti sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Watch it

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g