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Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American comfort dish made up of a ground beef tomato sauce, ziti noodles, and cheese. It is similar to a lasagna except ziti is made with ziti noodles and is more of a casserole and lasagna is made with lasagna noodles and is a layered dish. There are many variations on baked ziti. You will see some recipes that call for different veggies, some with made with ricotta or cottage cheese. There is no wrong or right way to make baked ziti. Some people say its sacrilege to make baked ziti without the ziti noodles, but in my experience, using penne or similar small hollow noodle with work just fine. There have been some instances where I’ve had to visit multiple grocery stores to find ziti noodles, and it’s not worth the hassle. So if you can’t find ziti noodles, fear not, you can still enjoy this cheesy comforting dish.
Baked ziti the perfect comfort dish. Pasta, cheese, and sauce. Need I say more. The addition of a protein either ground beef or a meat substitute leaves you feeling more satisfied than just a bowl of pasta noodles. I like to prepare a baked ziti Sunday night, toss everything into a casserole dish, put it in the fridge covered with tin foil and then it’s ready to be baked Monday evening. It freezes well and can be kept in the fridge for leftovers for at least a few days.
I like to make my baked ziti with a plant-based meat substitute but you could definitely use ground beef. For this recipe, I added broccoli rabe and artichoke hearts for extra nutrients and a pop of color. The artichoke hearts are substantial and meaty and are such a nice addition to this dish. The broccoli rabe is fresh and crisp and has a bitter flavor when eaten fresh. Once cooked, the flavor mellows and you get a nice earthy flavor. It is a popular vegetable in Italian cuisine and I love using it in tomato-based sauces. This dish is hearty, comforting, cheesy and delicious. It is the perfect weeknight meal.
Broccoli Rabe and Artichoke Baked Ziti
serves 8
prep time - 30 minutes
cooking time - 22 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 bunch of Andy Boy broccoli rabe
3 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
12 oz of ground beef or vegetarian plant-based crumbles
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
24 oz can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup of chopped basil
1 tsp of kosher salt
1 lb of dry ziti noodles
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese, cubed
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Enough water to cover three artichokes.
Trim the tips of the artichoke leaves (they have sharp spikes). Cutaway the base of the artichoke and any smaller leaves close to the base. Using a serrated knife, slice around 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke. Place the artichokes base side down in the boiling water. Place a small lid over the artichokes to keep them submerged in the water. Boil for 30 minutes, until the outer leaves are easily pulled off. Remove the artichokes from the water and let cool. (Do not discard the artichoke water.)
Once the artichokes are cool, remove the outer leaves until you have gotten to the artichoke heart. Cut the artichoke heart into 6 - 8 small pieces. Set the artichoke pieces to the side.
Place the broccoli rabe in the artichoke water and boil for 3 - 5 minutes until the broccoli rabe is tender and bright green. Strain and set to the side. Once cool, chop into bite-size pieces.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onions and fry until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry until aromatic.
Add the ground beef or plant-based crumbles and fry until light brown.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and basil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the dry ziti noodles and cook until al dente. You don’t want the noodles too soft because they will further cook down in the tomato sauce. Drain the noodles and add them to a 9 x 13 lasagna pan.
Add the tomato meat sauce to the noodles + 1 cup of water and combine. If your pasta sauce seems on the more liquid side, omit the cup of water. Add the Parmesan cheese and combine.
Top the ziti with cubed mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Place the lasagna pan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
The baked ziti can be kept in the fridge in a container with a tight-fitting lid for 5 days.
