Five Cheese Ziti Bake (Printable Version)
Oven-baked ziti covered in a creamy five-cheese marinara, finished with crispy breadcrumbs that are golden from broiling.
# Ingredients:
→ Ziti Al Forno
01 -
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (for topping)
02 -
1 pound ziti pasta
→ Five Cheese Marinara Sauce
03 -
15 oz diced tomatoes, drained (or two fresh tomatoes, chopped)
04 -
2 cups marinara sauce
05 -
1 cup heavy cream
06 -
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
07 -
1/2 cup fontina cheese, shredded (or try Monterey Jack)
08 -
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese mix (grated Parmesan, Romano, Asiago)
09 -
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
# Steps:
01 -
Boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta as directed on the package. Drain, rinse with cold water, toss with a little oil to avoid sticking, and set it aside.
02 -
In a medium saucepan, mix together the marinara, heavy cream, tomatoes, and sugar. Heat gently until it simmers, then stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup fontina, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Keep stirring until it starts bubbling, then take it off the heat.
03 -
Put the pasta in an oven-safe dish, pour the sauce evenly on top, then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Finish with breadcrumbs, and broil until it's golden and bubbly.
04 -
Before serving, sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
# Notes:
01 -
This home-style version uses marinara, creamy heavy cream (no jarred alfredo here), five cheesy varieties, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
02 -
For baking: Use a greased 9x13 pan, layer pasta with sauce and cheese, sprinkle breadcrumbs, and bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes before a quick broil to finish.
03 -
You can prep this dish ahead and refrigerate or freeze it for later baking.
04 -
No worries if you're missing some cheeses—sub mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan instead.