This easy baked pasta dish is the perfect comfort food for any night of the week — and it’s super kid-friendly. The sauce doesn’t have to simmer for hours on the stovetop, thanks to all the flavor from the onion, garlic and the combination of both fresh and dried herbs. Hang onto some of the pasta water — an Italian grandmother secret — in case you need to thin the sauce out. The hot starchy water can loosen a pasta sauce without making it too watery — plus it is already seasoned. Pulling the pasta from the pot before it’s completely cooked helps prevent it from becoming overcooked and mushy in the oven.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 55 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade, and minced
- 1 (29 to 32-ounce) can crushed red tomatoes in puree
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, plus about 6 small sprigs for garnish
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt
- 1 pound dried ziti pasta
- 1 cup (about 6 ounces) shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup (about 6 ounces) shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat canola oil in a saute pan over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Saute until the onions become translucent. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, and Italian seasoning. Cover and let simmer about 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to boiling for the pasta. Add salt and pasta and boil until pasta is al dente – about 10 minutes.
- Drain pasta well stir into pot of sauce. Transfer to a baking dish and top with cheeses. Bake until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 557 |
| Total Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 72 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 29 g |
| Cholesterol | 42 mg |
| Sodium | 843 mg |
Reviews
Love it I give it 5 stars
Yummy
It is very good for a quick and easy family meal, but it is kinda greasy on top after the it is put in the oven, but start the pasta waster before the oil and onions.
Amazing!
Perfection!
Amazing amazing amazing! So simple and easy. It was delicious!
Add Italian sausage yummy
Fantastic!
A great recipe. I add a pound of hot Italian sausage. I slice it and brown it then add to the pasta mixture…. Took it to the next level.
We have really enjoyed Chef Roberts recipes in the past and this is no exception. The sauce is fantastic – almost better than when I make my own pasta sauce and let it simmer all day (and this stuff only takes 25 mins!.
My only minor issue is that it didn’t seem to make enough sauce to really cover all the pasta (maybe thats done on purpose to keep the noodles from getting soggy?? But who really cares if it tastes that great, right?
Also, at the very end after the cheese was melted, I turned on my broiler for a few minutes to get just a bit of a bubbling, browned crust on the cheese on top – YUM. That step really needs to be added!
I also think this recipe could be served in individual ramekins to make the meal extra special – which I really want to try!
Happy cooking!