Description
This Easy Baked Ziti is a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner made with tender pasta, smoky ground turkey, and a rich tomato sauce all baked with gooey melted cheese. It’s the perfect weeknight comfort food!
Ingredients
▢ 1 lb ziti pasta
▢ 1 lb ground smoked turkey
▢ 1 small onion, chopped
▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
▢ 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
▢ 1/2 cup chicken broth
▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
▢ 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
▢ 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
▢ 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
▢ Salt and pepper, to taste
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook ziti according to package directions, slightly undercooking it. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground smoked turkey and cook until browned.
3. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella, and half the parmesan. Mix well.
7. Toss cooked ziti with ricotta mixture. Add meat sauce and gently stir until evenly combined.
8. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
9. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
10. Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
11. Let rest a few minutes before serving.
Notes
You can substitute smoked turkey with Italian sausage or ground beef.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat or chopped spinach for extra veggies.
This dish freezes well—assemble and freeze before baking for a make-ahead meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: baked ziti, easy pasta bake, cheesy baked ziti, ground turkey pasta