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top shot of a fork holding up a bite of five cheese ziti al forno
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4.66 from 41 votes

Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno

This Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno is the epitome of comfort food. Creamy, velvety, this ziti is loaded with Mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Ricotta, topped with a crispy panko topping and finally baked to perfection. Trust me, this pasta is a dish you just can't miss!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: five cheese ziti al forno
Servings: 10
Calories: 575kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ziti
  • 4 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half and half
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 4 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Provolone cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Romano cheese freshly grated

Topping

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  • Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet then add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and stir. Add the half and half and whisk well. Stir in the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, the sauce should thicken.  Stir in all the cheeses but reserve ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Add the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning and stir well. Bring to a boil.
  • Make topping: In a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs together with the butter, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Set aside.
  • Toss the pasta with the sauce: Pour the sauce over the ziti and toss well. Transfer the pasta to a casserole dish, top with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and then the panko topping.
  • Bake: Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Video

Notes

  1. Transfer leftover baked ziti to airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
  2. Freeze in a tightly sealed dish for up to a month. When ready to serve, take it out of the freezer the night before and thaw it in the refrigerator. Bake according to instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1136mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1325IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 584mg | Iron: 2mg