Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta
This yummy, hearty Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti recipe includes Ziti pasta with not one but three kinds of cheese, sausage and hamburger meat, and chunks of tomato in a tomato sauce. It also freezes well and is perfect to keep on hand for nights when you just don't feel like cooking or when you need a nice meal to welcome a new neighbor or to take to a sick friend.
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until they start to soften. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until done. Drain off the fat and season the meat with salt and pepper. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes and juice, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Stir, and simmer for 30-40 minutes. After simmering, break up the tomatoes with a fork. Let cool.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water starts boiling, add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt to the water. Bring to a full rolling boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes or until it reaches the al dente stage, such that it is still somewhat firm and not completely cooked through and soft. Pour the pasta into a colander and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a very large bowl, mix together 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and about 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Add the cooled pasta and toss to combine. Add about 2 cups of the tomato meat sauce and mix again.
This recipe makes 12 servings. If you are making just 1 casserole, you will have to use at least a 5-quart casserole or lasagna pan or one that is 11x15 inches. If you want to divide it up, you can use 8x8 or smaller pans. For this batch, I used 2 8x8 aluminum foil disposable pans which will hold least 3 servings each and 1 8x12 inch glass casserole dish which contains 6 servings.
For easy clean-up, spray your casserole dish(s) lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Add half of the coated pasta to your casserole dish(s). Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
Bake uncovered for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Sharon's Expert Tip:If you want to freeze your casserole, before baking, cover tightly and place in the freezer. To cook, let defrost in the refrigerator overnight and bake according to the directions above. If you cook it without defrosting, add about 20 minutes to the cooking time.Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data. We strive to keep the information as accurate as possible but make no warranties regarding its accuracy. We encourage readers to make their calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator, especially those with dietetic allergies and food-related diagnoses.[nutrition-label]