Holiday Baked Ziti
If there’s one dish I make every single Christmas season — it’s this baked ziti. It’s cozy, cheesy, make-ahead friendly, and tastes like it came straight off an Italian holiday table. But what truly makes this recipe a holiday lifesaver are the three kitchen hacks that keep me sane while feeding a crowd.These aren’t complicated hacks — they’re simple little things that make Christmas Eve and Christmas Day cooking actually manageable. Combine them with this ridiculously delicious baked ziti, and your holiday menu basically runs itself.Let’s get into the hacks first, then into the recipe that I’m absolutely obsessed with. More holiday dishes!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp finely diced carrots
- 3 tbsp finely diced celery
- 3 tbsp finely diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground meat beef, turkey, or sausage — your choice
- 1 24 oz jar Antonio Carlo Original Recipe Marinara
- 1 24 oz jar Antonio Carlo Arrabbiata Sauce
For the Ricotta Mixture
- 30 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup sauce a ladleful from the pot
- ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
For Assembling
- 1 lb ziti cooked al dente
- Additional shredded mozzarella about 1½ cups total for layering
- Additional grated Parmesan about ½ cup total for layering
Fresh chopped parsley
- Olive oil or nonstick spray for the baking dish
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the carrots, celery, and onion.
- Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more.
Brown the meat
- Add the ground meat to the pot.
- Sauté until fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Add the sauces
Pour in:
- 24 oz Antonio Carlo Original Recipe Marinara
- 24 oz Antonio Carlo Arrabbiata
- Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Make the ricotta mixture
In a large bowl, combine:
- ricotta
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup Parmesan
- beaten egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Add 1 ladleful (about ½ cup) of the hot sauce and mix until creamy and slightly pink.
Toss the pasta
- Add the cooked ziti directly into the ricotta mixture.
- Stir until every noodle is coated in that creamy, pink, cheesy goodness.
Assemble
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.
- Add half the creamy ziti mixture.
- Spoon a layer of sauce over it.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh parsley.
- Add the remaining ziti mixture.
- Add a generous layer of sauce on top (you will have about 1 cup of sauce left over — save it for your appetizer hack!).
- Finish with mozzarella, Parmesan, and parsley.
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake another 10–15 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and lightly golden on top.
- Total cook time: about 40 minutes.
- Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!