Cheesy Dutch Oven Baked Ziti with Marinara and Mozzarella
Dutch Oven Baked Ziti is a one-pot saucy and meaty pasta dish, topped with a layer of creamy ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, and parmesan cheese is perfect for the whole family to enjoy alongside a light side salad or dinner rolls to soak up any leftover sauce in the pot.
Making this baked ziti in a Dutch oven means that you can simply toss in your noodles without having to pre-boil them, allowing them to soak up all those delicious flavors on the ingredients in the pot cooking alongside them!
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DUTCH OVEN-BAKED ZITI
This Dutch oven-baked ziti can be adapted in so many ways to suit your personal preferences. Experiment with different veggies and meat, or even use gluten-free noodles. It's also great for meal planning! You can eaisly put this together and breakdown into portions to freeze and heat later.
CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?
Absolutely! This baked ziti can easily be made and then stored in the Dutch oven pot in the fridge the day before and reheated in the oven just before serving.
HOW SHOULD I STORE LEFTOVER BAKED ZITI?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can reheat single servings in the microwave or reheat larger portions in the oven, covered with aluminum foil so that the pasta doesn’t dry up and the cheese doesn’t burn.
SHOULD I COOK THE ZITI BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE DUTCH OVEN?
No, that’s not necessary. The Ziti pasta will cook sufficiently in the meat and sauce in the Dutch oven, so there’s no need to boil it beforehand. In fact, if you pre-boil the pasta, it might be too soft and mushy by the end of the cooking time in the oven with the rest of the ingredients.
WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE TO DUTCH OVEN-BAKED ZITI?
- Instead of using Ziti noodles, use other tubular pasta such as penne pasta and rigatoni.
- Ground sausage or another type of ground meat can be used in this dish instead of Italian sausage. Meatballs would also be a great option combined with Ziti.
- Make this baked Ziti gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles.
- For a kick of heat, consider using Ro-Tel canned tomatoes in this recipe and adding in some cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
- I’ve added spinach to this recipe, but feel free to use other favorite veggies such as mushrooms.
TIPS FOR MAKING DUTCH OVEN BAKED ZITI
- I love including whole milk ricotta cheese in this baked ziti dish as it makes the sauce very creamy and flavorful. You could use reduced-fat ricotta cheese if you prefer.
- If you’ve used ground meat such as chicken or turkey in this dish, be aware that there will be less richness as these options do not contain the same fat content as sausage. In that case, don’t omit the whole milk ricotta cheese.
- To cut down on some recipe time, use store-bought marinara sauce instead of combining the tomatoes and spices.
- Serve this Dutch oven-baked Ziti as is or with a side salad.
- Be careful that you don’t confuse tomato paste with tomato sauce. I’ve used tomato sauce in this recipe. If you use tomato paste, then the sauce will be too thick and probably overly sharp and tangy.
Dutch Oven Baked Ziti
Ingredients
Method
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking the meat into 1/2-inch pieces, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomato (with the juice), oregano, salt, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the water, pasta, 1/4 cup basil, and increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, stirring often, until the pasta is still very firm but starting to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack 8 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler.
- Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in the spinach, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Dollop the surface of the pasta evenly with the ricotta and then top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Broil the ziti until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the dish cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of basil and serve.
