Can I use homemade sauce?

Yes, if you have a favorite from-scratch tomato sauce please use it.

I like meat. Can I add meat?

You can add cooked, and crumbled Italian sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, or even shredded chicken would work. Whatever you use, it needs to be cooked first. Or try my baked pasta with sausage which is a variation of this baked ziti.

This is a great make-ahead recipe. Assemble the ziti and then cover and chill it up to a day in advance. When you bake it you might need to add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time

Sometimes I add a few pinches of red pepper flakes to the sauce as I'm assemble the ziti. If you like a little heat you should try it!

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Try using penne, rigatoni, cavatappi or other short pasta shape if you don't have ziti one hand. Just don't forget to parboil it first.

How long do leftovers keep?

They will keep in the fridge for three to four days.

I haven't tried freezing it, but if you do I recommend freezing it before you bake it. Leave it out to thaw and then bake it. You may need to add to the baking time, too.

Four Cheese Baked Ziti

Name: Four Cheese Baked Ziti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 8 ounces ziti; 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese; 2/3 cup shredded provolone cheese, plus 1/4 cup shredded (for topping); 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed, plus 1/4 cup shredded (for topping); 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some for serving; 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped; 1 (24-oz) jarred marinara sauce

Four Cheese Baked Ziti

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5 from 1 review

Baked ziti is always a go-to favorite. I like to layer this ziti like you would a lasagna so you get pockets of melted cheese throughout. This version has a combination of ricotta, provolone, Parmesan, and fresh mozzarella cheese making it extra cheesy and creamy. Plus, it’s easy to make thanks to store-bought sauce and is ready to go in the oven in about 15 minutes.

Author: April Anderson
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces ziti
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup shredded provolone cheese, plus 1/4 cup shredded (for topping)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed, plus 1/4 cup shredded (for topping)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some for serving
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 (24-oz) jarred marinara sauce

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Boil the pasta for about half the time it says on the box (about 5 to 6 minutes) – it will finish cooking when it goes in the oven with the sauce and cheese. While the pasta is cooking combine the ricotta, provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, pepper, parsley, and basil in a medium bowl.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour some sauce into an 8×8″ baking dish, just enough to coat the bottom. Add about a third of the cooked pasta, and top it with some sauce. Using a tablespoon, drop scoops of the cheese mixture over the top of the sauce, about 5-6 scoops.
Top the cheese with another layer of pasta followed by some sauce. Scoop the remaining cheese over the top of the sauce and add the rest of the pasta. Add the rest of the sauce over the top. It may seem like there is way too much cheese, so be generous with your scoops. Once the ziti is baked those scoops of cheese will turn into the most decadent pockets of ooey-gooey cheese.
Top the ziti with the rest of the shredded provolone and mozzarella cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil and transfer it to the oven. Bake the ziti for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake it for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and the ziti is bubbling around the edges. Let the ziti rest for a few minutes before serving with extra grated parmesan cheese on the side.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 611
Sugar: 10.5g
Sodium: 1466.4mg
Fat: 23.9g
Saturated Fat: 13.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 8.4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 59.1g
Fiber: 5.5g
Protein: 38.8g
Cholesterol: 73.6mg

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/four-cheese-baked-ziti/