Description
This High Protein Baked Ziti recipe combines tender ziti pasta with a hearty mixture of lean ground beef and Italian sausage, layered with a flavorful marinara sauce and a rich, cheesy cottage cheese blend. Perfect for a comforting and protein-packed dinner that serves 8, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 16 oz ziti
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef, or ground turkey/ground chicken
- 1/2 lb Italian ground turkey/chicken sausage, raw with casing removed or chopped fully cooked sausage
- 1 yellow onion, medium size, diced small
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup basil, chopped small, more for topping
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt + black pepper to taste
Cheese Layer
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 16 oz cottage cheese, full fat
- 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded or grated
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the ziti later.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced onion, cooking for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the onion begins to soften.
- Cook Meats: Add the lean ground beef and Italian ground turkey or chicken sausage to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked through and browned.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the marinara sauce, water, chopped basil, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Let the sauce simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare Cheese Layer: While the sauce simmers, combine the cottage cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked ziti to the meat sauce in the skillet. Stir well until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Assemble the Casserole: In a deep 9×13 inch baking dish, spread half of the pasta mixture evenly on the bottom. Dollop the cheese mixture over the pasta and smooth it out to mostly cover the layer. Add the remaining pasta mixture over the cheese layer, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown on top.
Notes
- For a lighter option, substitute full-fat cottage cheese with low-fat cottage cheese.
- You can swap ground beef for all turkey or chicken for a leaner protein.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, use dried basil but reduce the quantity by half.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 5 minutes after baking to set before serving.
- Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms to the sauce for extra nutrition and flavor.