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Cottage Cheese Baked Ziti Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 74 reviews

This Cottage Cheese Baked Ziti is a comforting Italian-American classic that combines tender tube-shaped pasta with a savory sausage marinara sauce, creamy cottage cheese, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Baked to golden perfection, it offers a rich, cheesy, and hearty meal perfect for family dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Sausage Marinara

  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 5 c. store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Cottage Cheese Mixture

  • 1 (16-oz.) container full-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), divided
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pasta and Cheese

  • 1 lb. ziti, rigatoni, or other tube-shaped pasta
  • 2 c. water
  • 12 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 3 cups), divided

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Oven and Brown Sausage: Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F. In a large (at least 12″), high-sided, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up into large pieces, and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute, stirring continuously.
  2. Make the Sauce: Pour in the marinara sauce and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
  3. Mix the Cottage Cheese Filling: While the sauce simmers, combine the cottage cheese, garlic powder, half of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped parsley in a medium bowl. Mash the curds slightly as you mix, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
  4. Cook the Pasta in Sauce: Add the dry ziti pasta and 2 cups of water to the skillet with the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook while stirring gently to prevent sticking, until the pasta is well combined with the sauce and slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
  5. Combine Pasta and Cheeses: Fold in half of the cottage cheese mixture and half of the shredded mozzarella into the skillet, ensuring some pockets of cheese remain visible throughout the pasta.
  6. Top with Remaining Cheese: Dollop the remaining cottage cheese mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly on top.
  7. Bake the Ziti: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake until the pasta is tender, bubbling, and the cheese topping is golden brown and slightly browned in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.
  8. Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley over the top before serving.

Notes

  • Use an ovenproof skillet to go straight from stovetop to oven for easy cleanup.
  • Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes for spiciness according to your taste preference.
  • For a lighter version, substitute part of the full-fat cottage cheese with low-fat or part-skim cottage cheese.
  • Make sure to stir the pasta during cooking to prevent it from sticking to the skillet.
  • You can prepare this dish a few hours ahead and refrigerate before baking; just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking chilled.

Keywords: Baked Ziti, Cottage Cheese Pasta, Italian Sausage Pasta, Cheesy Pasta Bake, Comfort Food, One Skillet Pasta Bake

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/cottage-cheese-baked-ziti-recipe/