Baked Ziti
This Italian-American recipe is a hit with the family. Baked Ziti is a comfort dish that's easy to make and will feed a crowd!
Ingredients
- 1 LB Ground Turkey
- 1 LB Ground Italian Sausage
- 24 OZ Box Ziti Pasta
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion
- 2 TBSP Tomato Paste
- 1 TSP Garlic Paste or 4 cloves minced garlic
- 28 OZ Tomato Purée
- 28 OZ Diced Tomatoes
- 1.5 TSP All-Purpose Seasoning Natures Seasoning
- 2 TSP Italian Seasoning
- 1 TSP Granulated Sugar
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- 16 OZ Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- 2 TSP Avocado Oil
- Freshly Grated Parm For Garnish
- Freshly Chopped Chopped Parsley For Garnish
Ricotta Mixture
- 15 OZ Ricotta Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 1/2 Cup Spinach Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
- 1 Dash Nutmeg
- 1 Large Egg Whisked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add your two tsp avocado oil. Next, add in your ground turkey and Italian sausage. Allow to cook down and chop into crumbles. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until browned.
- Add in your bell peppers and onion and mix to combine. Cook down for 4-5 minutes or until the onion becomes slightly translucent. Squeeze in your tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes to get the bitterness out and add your minced garlic or garlic paste. Stir until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add in your tomato purée, diced tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 Tbsp salt. Add in 1 1/2 boxes of ziti and cook until just short of Al dente. 2 minutes shorter than the box recommendation.
- In a medium bowl, add your ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, spinach, parsley, nutmeg, and your whisked egg. Mix well to combine and set aside.
- Check your pasta sauce and taste for seasoning level. Adjust if necessary. Drain your pasta, do not rinse - set aside.
- Begin layering your ziti by ladleing some pasta sauce at the bottom, top with some ziti, and scoop your ricotta mixture on top of that. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the ricotta into an even layer. Top with half your mozzarella cheese and repeat the layers, minus the ricotta. The final layer should be meat sauce and then cheese. Top with fresh parsley and loosely cover with foil.
- Place your baking dish into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes covered and about 10-15 uncovered. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. SERVE AND ENJOY!