Five-Cheese Ziti al Forno

Name: Five-Cheese Ziti al Forno
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 1-1/2 pounds (about 7-1/2 cups) uncooked ziti or small tube pasta; 2 jars (24 ounces each) marinara sauce; 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce; 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; 1/2 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese; 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese; TOPPING:; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Optional: Minced fresh parsley or basil

Total Time Prep: 20 min. Bake: 30 min. + standing

Yield 12 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

Five-cheese ziti al forno is an Olive Garden copycat classic that's loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano and provolone cheeses and baked to golden perfection with a crunchy topping. It's the perfect comfort food for cheese enthusiasts.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds (about 7-1/2 cups) uncooked ziti or small tube pasta
2 jars (24 ounces each) marinara sauce
1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
TOPPING:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: Minced fresh parsley or basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, combine the marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and the ricotta, provolone and Romano cheeses. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to simmer and cheeses are melted. Stir in cooked pasta; pour mixture into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
For topping, in a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic and olive oil; sprinkle over the pasta.
Bake, uncovered, until mixture is bubbly and topping is golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 449 calories, 15g fat (8g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 960mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 21g protein.

After having the five-cheese ziti at Olive Garden, I tried to make my own homemade version—and I think I got pretty close. I always double this and freeze the second one for another meal. —Keri Whitney, Castro Valley, California

Recipe Creator