This simple recipe for gluten-free baked ziti makes use of loads of store-bought shortcuts, however does not skimp on wealthy, tacky taste. It is an ideal freezer meal, too!
Why you may love this recipe
The last word Italian consolation meals, this gluten free baked ziti recipe has only some elements, most of which you most likely have already got in your kitchen. You may make it forward of time and freeze it for not less than a month, and it even holds up very well as leftovers.
We use store-bought tomato sauce and thicken it with tomato paste for loads of taste that sticks to the pasta. We make sure that it is extra than simply pasta with sauce and cheese by layering the elements like a gluten free lasagna. However this ziti’s even simpler than that!
My favourite gluten free pasta form to make use of right here is rigatoni, however penne and even fusilli would work. Boil your pasta 2 minutes lower than the package deal says, and it’ll preserve its texture for means longer than you anticipate!
What’s in it
Recipe elements
- Gluten free pasta: I like Rummo model gluten free rigatoni pasta greatest for this recipe. You want one thing that is related in measurement and form to ziti, and rigatoni comes very shut. You can too use penne or ziti, after all.
- Tomato sauce & tomato paste: I like to make use of a mixture of a 24 ounce jar of Rao’s model tomato herb or marinara pasta and 4 to six ounces of tomato paste to thicken the sauce a bit. The tomato paste additionally provides some further richness and depth to the sauce.
- Egg: We solely want one egg to assist bind the ricotta cheese combination collectively.
- Ricotta cheese: Provides a creamy richness, so the dish is extra than simply pasta with sauce and shredded cheese (scrumptious as that’s!). If you do not have ricotta or would love another, attempt draining some cottage cheese till it is as thick as ricotta. Or use whipped Friendship model cottage cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese: The delicate taste of this cheese provides that tacky texture and melts so simply for that tacky pull all of us love.
- Parmesan cheese: Provides depth of taste. I prefer to sprinkle this cheese, finely grated, flippantly on each layer.
- Basil: The marginally peppery, contemporary taste of this herb offsets the creamy richness of the dish.
- Salt/pepper: To brighten the flavour of the ricotta filling. In the event you suppose your cheeses are salty and vibrant sufficient, use much less or get rid of these elements.
make gluten free baked ziti
It is simple to make this dish. However if you break it down into particular person steps like we do within the recipe card beneath, it could possibly appear intimidating. Let’s break it down.
You should definitely go to the recipe card for full particulars together with actual ingredient quantities.
Put together the fundamentals
- Whisk collectively a jar of tomato sauce with some tomato paste to thicken it
- Boil your pasta to an al dente texture and add about 1/4 of the tomato sauce to it
- Whisk collectively one egg, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, about 4 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, and chopped contemporary basil.
Layer and bake
All that is left is to layer the elements in a casserole dish and bake. Listed below are the layers:
- Begin with some sauce, then layer half of the boiled pasta with its sauce;
- High with half of the ricotta cheese combination;
- Add a layer of sauce, then a layer of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses;
- Repeat the layers, ending with about half of the overall mozzarella and Parmesan;
- Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes, or till the cheese is golden brown on high in spot;
- Let sit for about quarter-hour earlier than serving heat.
My Professional Tip
Professional ideas
Undercook the pasta
The pasta is boiled first, after which baked in sauce and cheese. We start by undercooking it to a really al dente texture throughout boiling, lowering the boiling time on the package deal by 2 minutes. If there is a vary, take 2 minutes off the decrease finish of the vary. Even the perfect gluten free pasta tends to disintegrate when overcooked. Plus, we would like to have the ability to have scrumptious leftovers, too!
Bake uncovered
Lots of baked ziti recipes suggest overlaying the baking dish in the beginning of baking. However we add sufficient sauce that our baked ziti will not dry out. And leaving the dish uncovered means you get that lovely golden brown tacky high.
substitutions
Ingredient substitutions
Egg free
There’s just one egg on this recipe within the ricotta cheese combination. If you cannot have eggs, simply depart it out. I do not usually advocate eliminating an ingredient in a recipe with out changing it, but it surely solely helps to bind collectively the ricotta combination a bit. In the event you’re not utilizing an egg, use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese so it absorbs extra of the moisture within the ricotta.
Dairy free
There may be quite a lot of cheese on this recipe, and to make the dish dairy free, we’ll want to switch every sort. Fortunately, there are such a lot of wonderful dairy free cheeses available on the market immediately! For Parmesan cheese, I really like Comply with Your Coronary heart vegan grated Parmesan. It is bought in a canister and tastes similar to the actual factor. Violife additionally sells a vegan Parm block. For mozzarella cheese, I can suggest Daiya, Miyoko’s Creamery, Violife and Entire Meals 365 manufacturers. For ricotta cheese, the one one I’ve tried is Kite Hill. It’s kind of nutty, but it surely works properly. Miyoko’s Creamery has a dairy free cottage cheese you can most likely use, too.
Gluten free pasta shapes
There are such a lot of good manufacturers of dried gluten free pasta out there immediately. My hands-down favourite model is Rummo’s gluten free line. They’ve a gluten free rigatoni form that’s related in measurement to ziti, and has ridges to carry sauce that ziti does not have. It is my favourite for this recipe. I linked to Amazon’s Rummo gluten free “retailer,” however you’ll be able to often discover higher costs in grocery shops and different locations on-line, so store round. You can too attempt:
FAQs
Sure! Brown as much as 1/2 pound of floor beef or bulk sausage (out of the casing) first, then add it to the cooked and drained pasta or as its personal layer after the ricotta cheese combination.
I believe it might work! I believe that chickpea pasta and lentil pasta maintain up very well in sauce and baked dishes. Banza even has a rigatoni form.
This can be a recipe for gluten free baked ziti, but when you do not have to be gluten free, you can also make it with common wheat based mostly ziti or rigatoni pasta.
Make forward/leftovers
Storage directions
Leftovers
As a result of we undercook the pasta after which bake it in loads of sauce and cheese, this dish holds up very well as leftovers. Retailer leftovers in a sealed container within the fridge for five days. Heat up in a 300°F toaster oven or within the microwave.
For longer storage, place baked leftovers in a sealed freezer-safe container and freeze for as much as 1 month. Defrost within the fridge, after which let come to room temperature earlier than warming up in a 300°F oven or microwave.
Make forward
You’ll be able to prepare dinner the pasta al dente, and comply with all the directions for layering the elements forward of time, after which retailer it coated tightly within the fridge for not less than 3 days, unbaked. You can too retailer it in the identical method within the freezer for as much as a month, then defrost within the fridge. Let it come to room temperature, after which bake as directed.
- 1 egg, any measurement, at room temperature
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra, as wanted
- ¼ cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra, as wanted
- ⅓ cup chopped contemporary basil leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 24 ounces jarred gluten free tomato sauce, at room temperature; I really like Rao’s model tomato herb and marinara varieties
- 4 ounces pure tomato paste, you should utilize as much as 6 ounces for a thicker sauce
- 12 ounces dried gluten free rigatoni pasta, or different ziti-style pasta (See Recipe Notes)
Stop your display screen from going darkish
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Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch (or related measurement) baking dish and set it apart.
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Set a big stockpot of water to boil on the stovetop. You’ll be able to salt the water in case you like.
Make the cheese filling
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In a medium-size mixing bowl, place the egg, and beat properly.
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Add all 15 ounces of the ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, and whisk properly to mix. If the ricotta cheese is chilly, it’s possible you’ll want to combine with a spoon moderately than utilizing a whisk.
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Add the chopped basil leaves and about 1/4 of the overall grated mozzarella cheese (4 ounces) to the ricotta combination, and blend to mix. Set the bowl apart.
End the sauce
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In a separate medium-size bowl, place the tomato sauce. Add 4 to six ounces of tomato paste, and whisk to mix properly. Set the bowl apart.
Cook dinner the pasta
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Place the dried pasta within the boiling water and boil, stirring often to forestall it from sticking to the underside of the pot.
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Boil the pasta for about 2 minutes lower than no matter cooking time is advisable on the package deal. If there’s a vary of cooking time, boil for two minutes lower than the low finish of the vary.
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Drain the cooked pasta, return it to the pot, and toss it with one quarter (about 7 ounces) of the overall marinara sauce combination. Set the pasta and sauce combination apart.
Layer the baked ziti elements
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Within the ready casserole dish, place about one third of the remaining tomato sauce combination (about 7 ounces) in a single layer and unfold into a fair layer.
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High with a fair layer of half of the pasta with sauce.
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Dollop about half of the ricotta cheese combination evenly throughout the highest, and unfold it gently into a fair layer.
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Drizzle about half of the remaining pasta sauce (7 ounces) evenly throughout the highest of the ricotta combination.
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Sprinkle about half of the remaining mozzarella cheese (4 ounces) and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese evenly on high.
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Layer on high all of the sauce that is still (7 ounces).
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Dollop the remaining half of the ricotta cheese combination evenly throughout the highest, and unfold it gently into a fair layer.
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Add the second half of the pasta with sauce combination in a fair layer on high of the ricotta combination.
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Finish with the remaining mozzarella cheese (8 ounces) in a single layer, then sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on high.
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Bake within the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till the cheese on high is golden brown in spots.
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Take away the dish from the oven and run a skinny silicone or nylon spatula or knife across the perimeter to unstick the perimeters.
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Let stand for 10 to fifteen minutes earlier than serving heat.
There are such a lot of good manufacturers of dried gluten free pasta out there immediately. My hands-down favourite model is Rummo’s gluten free line. They’ve a gluten free rigatoni form that’s related in measurement to ziti, and has ridges to carry sauce that ziti does not have. It is my favourite for this recipe. I linked to Amazon’s Rummo gluten free “retailer,” however you’ll be able to often discover higher costs in grocery shops and different locations on-line, so store round.
You can too attempt:
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 740kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 41g | Fats: 36g | Saturated Fats: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Trans Fats: 0.004g | Ldl cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1718mg | Potassium: 819mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2102IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 714mg | Iron: 4mg
Vitamin data is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
