Big Batch Baked Ziti
Directions
- 1Cook diced onions in olive oil with a large pinch of salt until softened and lightly browned.
- 2Push onions to the side or remove, add ground beef, and sear until browned, then break up and combine.
- 3Add tomato paste and seasonings (coarse kosher salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper) and cook until darkened for 5 minutes.
- 4Add dry red lentils, beef bone broth, and marinara sauce, bring to a boil.
- 5Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until lentils are soft and sauce is thickened for about 45-60 minutes.
- 6Cook ziti in salted water until just al dente, then drain.
- 7Add cooked pasta to a large foil roaster rack, combine with meat sauce and a cheese mixture of ricotta, cottage cheese, parmesan, and basil, mix thoroughly.
- 8Top with an additional half jar of marinara sauce and freshly grated mozzarella cheese.
- 9Place the rack on a sheet pan and bake uncovered at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and browned, for 20-30 minutes.
- 10Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- 11Split into 15 equally sized servings.
Ingredients
- 30 g olive oil
- 2 yellow onions diced
- 1360 g 96% lean ground beef
- 170 g tomato paste
- 1360 g marinara sauce
- 300 g red lentils dry
- 900 g beef bone broth
- 1.5 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 900 g ziti pasta
- 240 g 2% cottage cheese
- 240 g part-skim ricotta
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 handful chopped fresh basil
- 228 g part-skim mozzarella shredded
- 340 g marinara sauce
Equipment
Large stockpot or Dutch oven (6qt+ recommended)Handi-foil medium foil roaster racksheet pan
Tips
- Make sure to taste the meat sauce and the pasta for salt before combining. If either taste bland, adjust salt to taste.
- Lentils will retain some texture when cooked in an acidic sauce. If you want them softer, add the tomato sauce after simmering for 30 mins.
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