Sometimes you just need a simple pasta recipe – if I could make spaghetti for every meal, I totally would! Similarly, you might love lasagna but dislike the effort it requires. Thankfully, baked ziti is a great alternative.
Baked ziti resembles a traditional lasagna casserole in many ways, but it’s simpler to cook. This recipe is ideal for a weeknight or weekend lunch, or you can bring it to a potluck as a hot dish.
This Alfredo marinara pasta dish combines the bright tomato taste of marinara with the creamy, cheesy flavor of Alfredo. Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen, this quick, easy pasta dish may just become one of your family’s favorite comfort foods!
If you’re a vegetarian or lactose intolerant, check out the crock-pot baked ziti in our vegetarian recipes.
Suggested Read: Cheesy Beef Casserole
How to make Alfredo marinara baked ziti
#easyrecipe .xlate, #easyrecipe .type, #easyrecipe .cuisine { font-size: 14px }- 4 cups Penne noodles
- 1 (15 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Cook the pasta and drain the pasta water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the two sauces together.
- Add mozzarella cheese to the sauce mixture and combine.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour pasta into a 9"x13" casserole dish, and bake about 20-25 minutes until bubbling.
- Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake another five minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil, and serve!
Enjoy your food!
The combination of flavors and delicious melted cheese makes this quick ziti recipe a huge hit with my family. I don’t always have the energy to cook something from scratch every night, so this recipe is one of my favorites, too. It only takes 30 minutes!
Preparing a comforting dish like Alfredo Marinara Baked Ziti is all about balancing flavors and textures to create a meal everyone will love. For food enthusiasts and home chefs, this recipe could even inspire the creation of a personal cookbook or a blog focused on hearty, family-friendly meals.
The cheesy Alfredo sauce in this baked ziti is a win for my family, and a win for me! Truthfully, we are big fans of pasta in this house. I make a lot of baked pasta and easy mac and cheese.
If you have time, you could take this recipe to the next level with homemade Alfredo sauce or tomato sauce. (Though, I admit that my kitchen sometimes looks like a Halloween scene when I cook with marinara!) I sometimes add garlic powder if I want a stronger flavor.
Feel free to use other pasta shapes, too. I recommend shapes that hold sauce well. If you use gluten-free or whole wheat pasta, make sure to follow the cooking directions on the box. You want the pasta to be al dente so it doesn’t get too soft while baking.
Finally, if you need more cheesy, comforting pasta recipes in your life, these two favorites are easy and quick to make:
I love easy dinners too!! This looks delicious 🙂
Looks yummy!