Description
Holiday Baked Ziti is the ultimate festive comfort food, layered with creamy ricotta, rich meat sauce, zesty arrabbiata, and bubbling mozzarella. Perfect for feeding a crowd or bringing to a holiday gathering, this cheesy pasta bake is pure cozy magic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons finely diced carrots
- 3 tablespoons finely diced celery
- 3 tablespoons finely diced onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, or sausage)
- 1 (24 oz) jar Antonio Carlo Original Recipe Marinara Sauce
- 1 (24 oz) jar Antonio Carlo Arrabbiata Sauce
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella (for ricotta mixture)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan (for ricotta mixture)
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup sauce from the pot
- ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 pound ziti pasta, cooked al dente
- 1½ cups additional shredded mozzarella (for layering)
- ½ cup additional grated Parmesan (for layering)
- Olive oil spray or nonstick spray (for greasing the baking dish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in ground meat and cook until browned and fully cooked through.
- Pour in both jars of marinara and arrabbiata sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, beaten egg, ½ cup of the simmered sauce, and chopped parsley.
- In another bowl, toss cooked ziti with a few ladles of sauce to lightly coat the pasta.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half of the pasta, then half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat with remaining pasta and ricotta. Top with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle remaining 1½ cups mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Do not overcook pasta—al dente is perfect since it continues cooking while baking.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the best melt and texture.
- Mixing a little sauce into the ricotta helps keep it creamy and flavorful.
- This dish can be assembled ahead and refrigerated or frozen before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 630
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 115mg