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The holidays are here and busy days are have taken over. That means you need a great make-ahead meal. My Easy 5-Ingredient Baked Ziti uses simple ingredients and is perfect for those hectic weeknights. Traditional baked ziti uses an Italian cheese blend. My twist is to add extra protein using cottage cheese. My 5-Ingredient Baked Ziti can be served with a side salad or warm Italian bread. This easy recipe is a delicious meal and will soon become a family favorite! You can use gluten-free pasta in this easy baked ziti recipe or any pasta noodles of your choice.
This recipe has minimal prep time and a mild flavor so it’s toddler approved!
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Start with bringing water to a boil and cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Boil the pasta to al dente, following the instructions on the package. Before draining the pasta, reserve a 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
2. Preheat a large skillet on medium heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground turkey. With a large wooden spoon, break up the turkey meat. Cook for about 5-7 minutes and then add the seasonings. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until the turkey is fully cooked and has no more pink. Add the marinara and let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes. When it’s done, add in the reserved salted pasta water. Gently stir it to combine.
3. Add the cooked pasta into the casserole dish. Then carefully pour the pasta sauce and meat mixture over the top of the pasta. Top with the cottage cheese. Gently combine the pasta, sauce and cottage cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. When it’s done, carefully remove the foil and season with additional salt or seasoning if needed. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy this delicious dish with your favorite crusty bread or salad..
Tips: The best thing about this simple recipe is that you can substitute ingredients with just about anything. To add some cheesy goodness to the mix, throw in some parmesan cheese or Italian blend, mozzarella cheese or ricotta cheese. Sour cream also tastes good. For the tomato sauce, store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce is great but you can also use homemade marinara sauce.
I'm all about life, brunch and balance. On my blog, I share my health journey along with delicious and flavorful recipes using fresh flavors inspired by the Mediterranean. Check out my site and subscribe to see what's cooking next!