Meaty Ziti Casserole
Submitted by RedRose
Meaty ziti casserole with a lean blend of ground chuck and ground turkey, mushrooms, bell pepper, and a from-scratch tomato sauce baked under bubbling parmesan. A weeknight crowd-pleaser that lightens the classic without losing the meat-sauce flavor.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
50 minREADY
90 minBaked ziti is comfort food, but it’s also a calorie minefield. This version splits the ground meat between ground chuck and ground turkey, cutting the saturated fat substantially without compromising the savory depth that makes meaty ziti craveable. Most eaters won’t notice the swap; what they’ll notice is feeling less weighed down after dinner.
Draining and patting the meat dry after browning is the step that separates good ziti from greasy ziti. The recipe specifically calls for paper towels, and that thoroughness pays off. Excess fat pools in the casserole and dilutes the tomato sauce, leaving you with a slick rather than a clinging meat sauce.
The vegetables (mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic, onion) all soften in cooking spray rather than oil. Combined with the lean meats, this keeps the dish reasonable. A 25-minute simmer with the canned tomatoes and tomato paste melds everything into a proper meat sauce.
The cooking sauce hot, then cooling slightly before stirring in the cooked ziti is intentional. Boiling-hot sauce continues to cook the pasta, leading to mush after the 50-minute bake. Slightly cooled sauce keeps the pasta al dente through baking.
Foil with three slits is the trick for trapping moisture while letting some steam escape. Fully covered, the top stays soggy; uncovered, the top dries out. Three slits is the bakery-honored compromise.
Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.
Pro Tips
- Cook ziti just to al dente, not soft. It will continue cooking in the casserole and overcooked pasta turns to mush.
- Use whole canned tomatoes broken up by hand rather than pre-diced. Better texture and flavor.
- Add cheese only in the last 5 minutes after uncovering. Earlier and it dries out and turns rubbery.
- For a crispy top, broil for the final 2 minutes. Watch carefully; cheese goes from golden to burnt fast.
- Make ahead: assemble the casserole completely, refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake. Add 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Variations
- Stir in 1 cup of ricotta cheese before transferring to the baking dish for a creamier, lasagna-like result.
- Add ½ cup of crumbled Italian sausage along with the ground meats for deeper flavor.
- Top with shredded mozzarella along with the parmesan for extra meltiness.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook ground chuck and turkey in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble.
Drain and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
Coat pan with cooking spray; add onion, mushroom, bell pepper and garlic; sauté 4 minutes until tender.
Return turkey mixture to pan, add water and next 6 ingredients.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add pasta; stir well. Spoon into 13×9×2 baking dish , cover with heavy aluminum foil; cut 3 slashes in foil.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 50 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Uncover; top with cheese.
Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
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