San Giorgio baked ziti has gained unmatchable popularity over the years because of its tangy, crusty, and optimal cheesy texture that no one can resist tasting. The same reason, I bet, has also brought you here! Don’t worry! You are at the right place to learn about this fantastic recipe, the San Giorgio baked ziti recipe.
Once, this dish was used as a staple at school functions, family gatherings, or special occasions. Time went by, and it came to become a comfort food and go-to meal in our everyday life, especially on cold days. Now it is, being a mixture of sauce and cheese, also known as oven-baked pasta. When served hot, baked ziti is sure to satiate your appetite within minutes, even on cold days.
For me, not only the test and creaminess but also the outstanding health benefits have made me prepare this dish over and over again. Here goes my version of this recipe…
Ingredients
- San Giorgio ziti (uncooked; 1 package)
- Olive oil (you decide how much you would need)
- Fresh and chopped parsley (¼ cup), or dried parsley flakes (1 tablespoon)
- Finely chopped onion (1 large piece)
- Dried oregano leaves (1 teaspoon)
- Finely minced garlic (small clove), or garlic powder (½ teaspoon)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups; about 8 ounces)
- Freshly ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon)
- Ricotta cheese (1¾ cups; 15 ounces)
- Grated and pure parmesan cheese (3 tablespoons)
- Tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce (1 jar; about 24 ounces; divided)
- To taste, salt (½ teaspoon)
If you want to make baked ziti with meat, arrange Italian sausage, ground beef (1-pound bulk).
Or, if you want meatless baked ziti, use slightly beaten egg (1 piece) instead of meat.
Instructions
- To start the cooking process, take a large pot, fill it up with water, and bring it to a boil. Add the ziti while the water is in a rolling boil, and keep cooking, with the pot uncovered, till the ziti gets dente, being edible yet firm to the bite. When the ziti is dente, stop cooking and drain the ziti using a colander.
Pro tips: Add a little olive oil to the water. It keeps the pasta from sticking together. Another trick is, although I have never tried it, some people also add olive oil while they boil the water at first.
- You can take a head start by starting to prepare the sauce while boiling the water. Take a sauté pan of medium-large size, put one tablespoon olive oil on it, and heat it at medium-high temperature. Keep heating until the olive oil starts to simmer. When the oil begins to shimmer, add bulk sausage, beef to it. Remember to smash the larger pieces, if there are any, during the cooking process. Keep cooking until the oil gets brown. Don’t let the oil burn, but don’t stir it too much, which will take more time for the oil to get brown.
Pro tips: If you are using ground beef, and not sausages, sprinkle a little salt to ensure a perfect San Giorgio baked ziti recipe.
- Now, as the meat gets brown in whole, add the slices of onions into it and stir properly to combine it well. Then sauté all these ingredients over again and keep cooking until, around 5-6 minutes, the onion gets brown and translucent.
- At this point, add the ground pepper, oregano leaves, garlic, and parsley and stir all over again to combine them. Cook the mixture for 1 more minute and add the tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce, whichever you have or prefer, and stir again to make sure a perfect combination. Then cook it for few more minutes and take it to the boiling point (simmer). At the same time, preheat your oven to 375-degree Fahrenheit.
- Then take a 13×9 inches size baking dish and put a thin layer of the sauce, whichever you are using, on the dish. Dot the dish surface using half of the total ricotta cheese.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the sauce to the ziti and mix it up thoroughly. After that, add the whole pasta into the casserole carefully. Then, top the ziti pasta with the remaining sauce. Spread the remaining ricotta cheese over the ziti pasta. At last, top the pasta over again by sprinkling the parmesan cheese and mozzarella and finish the process by cover the pasta with foil.
- Place the dish into your preheated oven and bake it for around 20-22 minutes until it looks bubbly and feels hot enough. By this time, the cheese will melt all over the pasta and the pasta will turn brown.
- Now, give the ziti 10-15 to settle and cool down completely and serve it with garlic bread or anything of your choice.
Recipe Note
You aren’t restricted to the ingredients mentioned and the instructions provided above. You can add variations to this recipe by adding extra cheese, or one or two veggies. You can also add a couple of herbs to the casserole, which will make it more compelling and exciting. Your imagination and preference will guide you through this. But don’t miss the egg in case you are making meatless ziti.
Nutrition Information
| Nutrition Facts (8 ounces serving) | Value | Daily Value |
| Calories | 444.1 | – |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g | 34% |
| Fat | 17 g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g | 5.6% |
| Polyunsaturated | 0 g | – |
| Trans | 0 g | – |
| Monounsaturated | 4 g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 73 mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 1126 mg | 6 |
| Potassium | 114 mg | 78% |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g | 8.9% |
| Sugar | 10 g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | – | 20 % |
| Vitamin C | – | 7 % |
| Calcium | 7.5 g | 28 % |
| Iron | 4 g | 12 % |
| Protein | 20 g | 34% |
To be frank with you, I have tried numerous classic Italian-American cuisine at home to this day, but San Giorgio ziti was the first one. However, it has been like a go-to dish for me from then on.
Try the San Giorgio baked ziti recipe now and satiate your appetite!
(You can check of my favorite appetizers, the Buffalo wild wings potato wedges and Bertucci’s olive oil bread dip.)