Healthy Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce
For entree 1 of 3 from our engagement party menu, I packed in the healthy to my Baked Ziti. (Shhhh…don’t tell anyone…)
Even Brandon can pull off this classic dish so I won’t fool you into thinking what I made was any kind of masterpiece. Instead, the trick to my Baked Ziti is making a healthy, nutrient-packed meal that even the pickiest kids (like my brother) will eat.
Here’s the recipe to serve 6-10.
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box of protein enriched ziti
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1/2 bag (3 oz) fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
How to make it
- Start by combining the beef, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet and cook on Med-high until the meat is browned - but be careful not to overcook - remove from the heat immediately and drain any excess grease
- Cook the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes less that directions on the box
- While the pasta is cooking, combine meat, ricotta cheese and spinach.
- Add cooked pasta and marinara sauce to the meat mixture and pour into a 9x13 baking pan.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes (just until the cheese starts to brown)
- Then serve!
Tip: Want to make it now and eat it later? After topping with the mozzarella cheese, seal tight with plastic wrap and aluminum foil then freeze. When you’re ready to eat, just take it out of the freezer, remove the plastic but recover with the aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes. When the center is warm, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes just until the cheese starts to brown.
Should you bake with the aluminim foil shiny side in or out?
According to the experts it doesn’t matter. But because I’m a little OCD and it’s hard for me to break habits, I think I’ll still cook shiny side in : )
ENJOY!
