Sundried Tomato Baked Ziti
Cuisine: Pasta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 10 servings
 
This easy baked ziti is a dish that serves a crowd and everyone will love!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. rigatoni noodles
  • 15 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ½ tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb. Italian sausage
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jars pasta sauce of choice
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tbsp. dried basil
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ tsp.- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
  • ½ tsp. black pepper + more to taste
  • 15 oz. can fire-roasted sundried tomatoes
  • 8.5 ounce jar of julienned sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the pasta to boil, in a large bowl mix together the ricotta, parmesan, one cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the Italian seasoning.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain and place in the bowl with the cheese mixture. Toss to combine, making sure the noodles are coated but also leaving some larger cheesy chunks.
  3. In a large pot, brown the ground beef and sausage. Add the oil from the sundried tomatoes as needed while cooking for extra oil.
  4. Add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender. Add the pasta sauce, oregano, basil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes (use ¼ tsp. for less heat, ½ tsp. for more heat), salt, pepper, sundried tomatoes, and fire roasted tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, taste and add more seasonings as needed. I like to simmer the sauce for at least 20 minutes but you can always do it for longer or less time if you are in a time crunch.
  5. Add a few scoops of the pasta sauce to the noodles and give it a stir.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, followed by half of the noodles. Cover with some sauce, then place the remaining noodles on top and the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbling. Serve with salad and garlic bread for a cozy dinner!
  8. Enjoy!
Recipe by For the Love of Gourmet at https://fortheloveofgourmet.com/sundried-tomato-baked-ziti/