Dump-and-Bake 3-Cheese Baked Ziti

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4.54 from 13 votes

Dump-and-Bake 3-Cheese Baked Ziti

A foolproof easy dinner all made in one dish, you don't even need to boil the pasta!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked ziti, Pasta Bake

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 370kcal

Author The Seasoned Mom

Ingredients

1 16 ounce package uncooked ziti pasta
1 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
3 cups water
16 ounces 2 cups cottage cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of pepper
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Spray a large baking dish (about 9 x 13-inches) with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, stir together cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, stir together uncooked ziti, marinara sauce, and water. Ladle half of the ziti mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Pour cottage cheese mixture over the pasta in an even layer.
Top with remaining pasta and sauce mixture.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover and stir gently. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).

Notes

Cooking Just for Two? You can cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare one smaller casserole. Just bake in an 8-inch square pan. The cooking instructions remain the same.

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