Description
A comforting and cheesy baked ziti dish inspired by Olive Garden, featuring a blend of five delicious cheeses and ziti pasta baked in marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Ziti pasta
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 15 oz diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese blend (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago)
- 1/2 cup fontina cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta, do not rinse.
- In a large bowl, combine marinara sauce, heavy cream, diced tomatoes, and sugar. Mix until well combined.
- Add the cooked ziti to the sauce mixture, coat evenly.
- Stir in Parmesan, fontina, and mozzarella cheeses (reserve some mozzarella for topping).
- Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread evenly.
- Top with reserved mozzarella and sprinkle bread crumbs for crunch.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve with fresh basil or parsley for garnish. Pairs well with garlic bread and a side salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: baked ziti, cheesy pasta, Olive Garden, comfort food, Italian recipe