Baked Ziti Recipe

This recipe was easy and good, and as other reviewers have said it is very similar to lasagna. I would make one change next time I make it and put the bottom layer of sauce dirctly on the noodles, then the cheese on top of that. When assembled as directed, the provolone cheese layer made a barrier and kept the sauce away from the noodles below and made for a layer of naked noodles at the bottom. I also ended up with extra sauce while assembling because it didn't settle down to the bottom. This recipe makes a VERY full 9X13 pan, and definitely use a well seasoned sauce (like tomato & basil) and the half & half ground beef and italian sausage. My 3 year old really like it too! Thank you!

This is great! I use 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound Italian sausage and add onion, green pepper and garlic while browning. I add 1 TBSP of Italian seasoning, sliced mushrooms and sliced black olives to the sauce. I mix the pasta and meat sauce together, place half the mixture in the pan, then the sour cream and 1/2 of the cheese, then the remaining ziti mixture and top with the remaining cheese. I like the pasta completely coated with sauce. I use shredded Italian blend cheese and PILE it on, at least double what the recipe calls for, and increase the Parmesan as well. Definitely use 2 jars of sauce, it sounds like a lot but other wise the Ziti will be dry. This is perfect for a family gathering, it makes a lot.

Just made this dish for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Instead of greasing the pan (I used a Pyrex dish) with butter, I sprayed a light coating of Pam; the pan was a breeze to clean afterward. Per some of the suggestions other reviewers made, I added minced garlic and had put the sauce directly on the ziti, before the provolone. Because I like the pasta to soak up the flavor of the sauce, I did the same for the top layer ziti, (adding the sauce to the ziti before the mozerella cheese). Since I wasn't sure if doing so would make the pasta too soft, I shaved a minute off of the suggested pasta boiling time. It came out perfect, this recipe is a keeper.

Delicious and great make-ahead recipe for entertaining. Read a ton of the reviews and recommend following changes suggested by others: use larger dish (31/2-4 qt.), saute several cloves of minced garlic w/meat and onion, add layer of sauce over ziti before provolone/sour cream layer, cover while baking so it doesn't dry out, if making ahead and refrigerating, be sure to double the cooking time. I used Bertolli Five Cheese spaghetti sauce with a little sugar and crushed red pepper -- excellent! If

This recipe is perfect.

This was a really good recipe. I wasn't able to find any sliced provolone cheese so I substituted it w/ a shredded cheese w/ provolone in it. It still came out great, but it was difficult to spread the sour cream. That was easily corrected by placing the sour cream in a zip lock bag, snipping a corner, and then evenly spreading it over the ingredients. Everyone in my family loved it!

Try RICOTTA CHEESE instead of sour cream and skip the provolone for a real Italian version of Baked Ziti. Mix an egg into a pound of ricotta to make it nice and creamy, and toss with the ziti. Layer sauce first (so you don't need to butter the pan), then ziti/cheese, mozzarella, sprinkle with parm and a little dried oregano or basil, then repeat layers. For a really nice look, slice a brick of mozzarella for the top layer instead of using the shredded kind. This is SO MUCH BETTER than the sour cream version!

I love this recipe! It gets five stars because, made as directed, it's absolutely delicious; creamy, savory and just perfect. If I could give this recipe more stars, I would, because it's also extremely flexible. I've made this with Italian sausage or ground turkey instead of the beef. I've also made a vegetarian version by substituting sliced zucchini and mushrooms for the meat. Sometimes I add chopped garlic and fennel seed. (There's something about fennel seed that, to me, is integral to Italian cooking. It's like cilantro to Mexican food.) Obviously, the key to the greatness of this recipe is the substitution of a layer of sour cream and provolone for the usual ricotta. That's what makes the dish so moist and creamy. Who hasn't make a beautiful lasagna only to have it dry out in the oven? I like ricotta as much as the next Italian-American, but the stuff is pretty dry and really adds no flavor. It's essentially just a binder. Here, the combination of the provolone melting into the sour cream is truly inspired; the sour cream adds moisture and the provolone adds flavor. I'm planning to use the same combo instead of ricotta in my next lasagna. The importance of using a high-quality sauce for this recipe almost goes without saying, so I'll stop here. Thanks, Colleen!

This was delicious, the only thing I changed was the addition of salt and pepper and 2 cloves minced garlic. Side note: I've noticed many of the reviews who rated this recipe low had modified the ingredients, in particular using ricotta cheese instead of sour cream. I thought the sour cream added a wonderful flavor and feel there is already plenty of cheese flavor and no need for ricotta. Reviewers need to remember that when modifying or customizing ingredients of recipes to their own liking or opinion it is inappropriate to leave a poor or low review or rating.

I've made this twice now: the first time with the ricotta substitution (per other reviews) and the second time with the sour cream (per the recipe). If you like a creamy sauce with your pasta, stick with the recipe. This was more to our taste and liking. Ricotta is too dry for Baked Ziti IMHO. I mixed half of the meat sauce with half of the ziti for first layer (stir to coat the ziti), added provolone and sour cream, then added the other half of the ziti and meat sauce. Topped with mozzarella and parmesan. Cook covered for 30 min, took foil off last 5 min to brown the cheese. It is super easy and tastes great, and worthy of company.

I hope you are still reading your reviews, Colleen, after at least 2 years. This is the BEST BAKED ZITI! Your recipe is WONDERFUL as it is written, not to be changed. The sour cream and provolone is what makes it SPECIAL and DIFFERENT. Don't substitute anything. I used "Classico Sausage & Pepper" sauce and it was perfect, I destroyed my old baked ziti recipe.

The best ziti, hands down

I used ground turkey. I suggest mixing the Ziti with the sauce and then layering it with cheese so all the noodles are covered with sauce. This recipe is only as good as the sauce you use, whether it be your own recipe or a sauce you buy in a jar. I added more garlic and seasoning to the jarred sauce. I will try it again with homemade sauce.

It was an easy recipe. I liked it but did not love it. It was worth making one time. Thank you for the recipe. :)

It was very good with a few tweaks. I added fresh garlic, salt and pepper to the hamburger while frying it. My 89 year old Dad absolutely loved it. We will definitely be having this again. And I will make it for my husband when I get home to him.

I subbed ground beef with Italian sausage, and sour cream for ricotta, it’s amazing!!!

Delicious. Will try to make it soon. But can I replace an onion with onion powder instead?

This was the first recipe I cooked with my girlfriend. I have never cooked baked ziti before I will never forget this. We made it for a friend's birthday party and everybody enjoyed it. Can't lie a monkey could have made this. Definitely follow Chinders review/response on putting the sauce ontop of the ziti. Enjoy and happy baking

Love it, 4 time making it

The recipe was fantastic and a serious hit with the family we took it over to. I read some reviews and so tweaked a few things like adding garlic and spices to the marinara. And putting a layer of sauce before the provolone. Every one really enjoyed it and one lady swore I bought it as a Togo from a restaurant 😂