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Million Greenback Baked Ziti is the final consolation meals that tastes like 1,000,000 bucks! It’s full of layers of tender noodles, floor meat, spaghetti sauce, and loads of tacky goodness. There may be one thing for the entire household on this hearty, crowd-pleasing dish!
Causes You’ll Love This Recipe
- Straightforward to Make: Easy components and easy steps make this Million Greenback baked ziti recipe a breeze.
- Wealthy & Creamy: A luscious mix of cottage cheese, cream cheese, bitter cream, and mozzarella makes each chunk irresistible.
- Make-Forward Pleasant: Prep it prematurely and have a ready-to-go meal. Excellent for busy weeknights or lazy weekends!
Your Children Will Love It
This million greenback baked Ziti is SO scrumptious! It’s tremendous kid-friendly due to how creamy it’s. I’m so uninterested in spending time within the kitchen making dinner, and my youngsters don’t prefer it. They completely liked this recipe! It’s like a brilliant saucy, creamy, tacky spaghetti, however baked. It’s a straightforward casserole recipe that you may make forward and even make right into a freezer meal. I’ve directions for each under!
Elements for Million Greenback Baked Ziti
The way to Make Million Greenback Baked Ziti
Whether or not you’re internet hosting company or simply craving a comforting household dinner, this meal is all the time a success! As an added plus, it’s very kid-friendly. My youngsters beg for it on repeat! It’s actually a whole meal all by itself, however I like to serve it with a easy caesar salad and garlic bread.
- Boil the Pasta: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 6-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and put aside. Convey a big pot of water to a boil and prepare dinner the ziti in line with the directions on the bundle. Drain and put aside.
- Brown the Meat: In the meantime, prepare dinner the Italian sausage and floor beef in a big, deep skillet over medium-high warmth till no pink stays.
- Add Garlic: Drain off the fats and add the garlic. Cook dinner for about 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce and Simmer: Including the spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Convey to a simmer over medium warmth earlier than decreasing the warmth to decrease and simmering for 10 minutes.
- Make the Cheese Combination: Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, bitter cream, and 1 cup of the mozzarella to a medium bowl. Beat with a hand mixer till mixed.
- Add Combination to Sauce: Add the cottage cheese combination to the meat sauce.
- Stir and Mix: Stir till it has all melted and mixed.
- Combine within the Noodles: Stir the cooked ziti noodles into the sauce. Pour every part into the ready baking dish.
- Bake: High with the remaining 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes, till the cheese is melted and browned on high. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Suggestions for Excellent Million Greenback Baked Ziti
Million greenback baked ziti is a household favourite you’re certain to like! Listed here are some ideas to make sure the perfect outcomes when making this simple Italian dish.
- Can I lower the recipe in half? If you wish to make this recipe for a smaller quantity of individuals (5-6), lower all of the components in half and bake it in a 3 or 4-quart baking dish for about half-hour till the cheese is melted and browning.
- Style Earlier than Seasoning! Style the sauce earlier than mixing within the noodles. Season with salt and pepper if desired. I didn’t really feel it wanted any, however you might add salt and pepper to style if you want.
- Can I change up the meat? I used 1 pound of Italian sausage and 1 pound of floor beef for this recipe. However you might use floor turkey, floor rooster, or spicy Italian sausage if you happen to would like!
- Do I’ve to make use of cottage cheese? For those who don’t like cottage cheese, don’t fear! It melts away utterly and provides a scrumptious tang to the sauce. For those who nonetheless don’t wish to use cottage cheese, you might substitute it with plain Greek yogurt or bitter cream.
- Pasta Perfection! For those who choose your pasta to be extra al dente, I like to recommend cooking it solely half of the recommended cooking time on the pasta bundle. The noodles will proceed to prepare dinner within the oven because the pasta bakes, so this can stop them from turning into too smooth.
Leftovers and Make Forward Suggestions
One of many many issues I really like about baked ziti is that it’s an ideal make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal! You’ll be able to assemble it prematurely, retailer it within the fridge or freezer, and bake it once you’re prepared. A scrumptious, hassle-free choice that delivers main taste!
- Within the Fridge: Retailer leftover million greenback ziti bake in an hermetic container or cowl tightly with plastic wrap within the fridge for as much as 7 days.
- To Reheat: Warmth particular person parts within the microwave for 1-1 ½ minutes or the entire pan in a preheated oven set to 350ºF for 15-20 minutes till heated by means of or till the interior temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Make Forward: This recipe may be ready the day earlier than and saved lined within the fridge till you’re able to bake it. Add 15-20 minutes of cooking time to account for it being chilly when it goes within the oven. Be certain the interior temperature reaches 165ºF earlier than serving.
Freezer Meal Directions
If you’re trying to save time and the effort of deciding what to make for dinner, make a double batch and freeze one to have for later.
- Preparation: To organize this as a freezer meal, comply with directions by means of step 7 and canopy it tightly with plastic wrap and a few layers of industrial quality aluminum foil. Freeze for as much as 3 months.
- Bake From Thawed: Let it thaw within the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours earlier than baking at 350 levels Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes.
- Bake from Frozen: Alternatively, bake it immediately from frozen by overlaying it with aluminum foil and baking at 350 levels Fahrenheit for 60-75 minutes. Then, take away the foil and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or till the cheese is melted. Be certain the interior temperature reaches 165ºF.
Extra Baked Pasta Recipes
I completely love baked pasta! It’s the proper dish for feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or only a cozy, do-it-yourself meal. Listed here are a few of my household’s favorites that you just’re certain to like, too!
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Preheat the oven to 350 levels Fahrenheit, and spray a 6-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and put aside.
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Convey a big pot of water to a boil and prepare dinner the ziti in line with the directions on the bundle. Drain and put aside.
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In the meantime, prepare dinner the Italian sausage and floor beef in a big, deep skillet over medium-high warmth till no pink stays.
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Drain off the fats and add the garlic. Cook dinner for about 2 minutes earlier than including the spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. Convey to a simmer over medium warmth earlier than decreasing the warmth to decrease and simmering for 10 minutes.
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Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, bitter cream, and 1 cup of mozzarella to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer till mixed.
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Add the cheese combination to the sauce and stir till it has all melted and mixed.
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Stir the cooked ziti noodles into the sauce earlier than pouring all of it into the ready baking dish. High with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, till the cheese is melted and browned on high. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
For six Servings: To make this recipe for a smaller quantity of individuals, lower the entire components in half and bake it in a 3 or 4-quart baking dish for about half-hour, till the cheese is melted and browning.
Energy: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 29gFats: 30gSaturated Fats: 14gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated Fats: 10gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 730mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1024IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 224mgIron: 3mg
Vitamin info is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
