Recipe courtesy of Robert Irvine

Baked Ziti

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 55 min
  • Prep: 10 min
  • Cook: 45 min
  • Yield: 6 servings
This easy baked pasta dish is the perfect comfort food for any night of the week — and it’s super kid-friendly. The sauce doesn’t have to simmer for hours on the stovetop, thanks to all the flavor from the onion, garlic and the combination of both fresh and dried herbs. Hang onto some of the pasta water — an Italian grandmother secret — in case you need to thin the sauce out. The hot starchy water can loosen a pasta sauce without making it too watery — plus it is already seasoned. Pulling the pasta from the pot before it’s completely cooked helps prevent it from becoming overcooked and mushy in the oven.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat canola oil in a saute pan over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Saute until the onions become translucent. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, and Italian seasoning. Cover and let simmer about 25 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to boiling for the pasta. Add salt and pasta and boil until pasta is al dente - about 10 minutes.
  3. Drain pasta well stir into pot of sauce. Transfer to a baking dish and top with cheeses. Bake until cheese is melted.