Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti is the perfect freezer meal for new moms. It’s easy to prepare and even easier to bake and enjoy postpartum after baby arrives.
Sorry I’ve been a little MIA over the last several months. Who knew creating human life (and preparing for said human life) was such hard work! 😉 If you have children or are expecting, you probably understand just. how. tired. I am. I’ve also been busy with my day job – I received a promotion earlier this year and have been really focused on that until the baby arrives. Now, with just under a month to go, my sights have been set on nesting and preparing for our new bundle of joy (one of these days I’ll get around to posting pictures of her nursery).
This past Saturday, I dedicated the whole day to freezer meals – I’ll be doing a more detailed post on that next week. But, for now, I want to share with you my recipe for Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti.
When one thinks about stocking the freezer, lasagna always comes to mind first.. and trust me, I love a lasagna. But, just the thought of layering noodles, sauce, and cheese on repeat is exhausting for this soon-to-be mom. Thus, baked ziti is the next best alternative – I was able to cut down at least 10 minutes of prep time. I also kept this recipe simple with only 7 ingredients so we can all spend less time in the kitchen and more time with our feet propped up on the couch. You’re welcome.
Here’s what you need:
- Box of ziti, rigatoni or penne (your choice)
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage to make this recipe a little healthier)
- White onion
- Canned mushrooms (or fresh if you prefer)
- 1 jar of your favorite red sauce (or homemade if you prefer)
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Aluminum baking pan(s) – I personally use 2-9×6 pans so I can stretch it for two nights
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic wrap
How to freeze Baked Ziti:
After preparing each pan of pasta, wrap with a layer of foil, then plastic wrap, and foil again. A triple layer will protect the dish from frostbite and it will last up to 30 days in the freezer.
Check out the recipe below and let me know if you have any questions!
Kelsey Renee
Easy Make-Ahead Baked Ziti
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 16 ounce box of ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- ¼ white onion (finely diced)
- 1 small can of mushrooms (roughly chopped) (you can also use a pint of fresh mushrooms)
- 1 jar of red sauce
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Supplies for freezing:
- - 1 large aluminum (foil) baking pan or 2 smaller pans (I used 2 smaller 9x6 pans because it will just be me and my husband)
- - Aluminum foil
- - Plastic wrap
Instructions
- 1. Start by lighting greasing your aluminum baking pan(s).
- 2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook pasta according to package directions. You want the pasta to be al dente so it will hold up during the baking process. Drain pasta and set aside.
- 3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown sausage completely. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and red sauce. Bring to a boil.
- 4. Remove red sauce from heat and fold in cooked pasta until evenly coated.
- 5. Layer half of the pasta in the bottom of the baking pan (or if making two pans, layer ¼ of the pasta in each).
- 6. Drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese evenly over pasta.
- 7. Top with remaining pasta and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- 8. If freezing, allow pasta to cool completely before wrapping in foil. (Pro tip: wrap in a layer of foil, then plastic wrap and foil again. Each dish should be wrapped 3 times). To thaw, allow the dish to sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- 9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, covered with a fresh layer of foil. Then, bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
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