Cheese Ziti is a simple noodle and cheese dish. It is really a simple mac and cheese with longer noodles than elbow noodles. This recipe is great as a main or served on the side.
I like to make bread crumbs with homemade bread or store bread I keep stored in my freezer. I like the taste and crunch of homemade bread crumbs versus store bought that sometimes has a grit texture.
Stove Top and Oven
Recipe serves: 4
Serving size: 1 cup
Total time: 1 hour
Let's grocery shop!
I am assuming you have salt and pepper. It is not included in pantry and spices.
You can easily change up the cheese in this dish. Sometimes I buy a cheddar and gruyere block or monterey jack cheese. Recipes are just suggestions and a starting point.
Pantry & Spices
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butter
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flour
Grocery
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ziti pasta 16 oz
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1/2 gallon milk
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1 cheddar cheese 8 oz
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1 loaf bread
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1 grated parmesan cheese
You can add fresh herbs of your choice to the top to add a freshness to the dish. My personal favorite is flat leaf parsley.
Jazz up the cheese sauce by adding a spice such as: nutmeg, caraway seeds, ground coriander, chipotle chili, spice blends, etc. get creative!
Let's prep!
3 cups uncooked ziti or small tube pasta |
1 tablespoon butter |
2 tablespoons flour |
½ teaspoon salt |
¼ teaspoon pepper |
1 ¾ cup milk |
¾ shredded cheddar cheese |
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese |
Topping |
5 slices bread |
2 tablespoons melted butter |
¼ cup cheddar cheese |
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese |
- Gather all of your ingredients and measuring tools
- Measure 1~3/4 cup of milk; set aside
- Place in a small prep bowl:
- 2 tablespoons of sifted flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.
- Place in a small prep bowl:
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese; set aside.
- Use a food processor to break the bread into fine pieces; set aside
- In a medium bowl (or food processor bowl) add:
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- bread crumbs; set aside.
- Cover the inside of the casserole dish with cooking spray or use a paper towel and some butter.
Let's cook!
- Complete prep from prep tab above.
- Bring water to a boil and cook ziti to package directions.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a sauce pan melt 1 tablespoon butter then stir in 2 tablespoons of flour until smooth.
- Once the mixture is smooth and you no longer see white flour slowly add milk while stirring constantly. Continue to stir until mixture is thick and creamy.
- Turn off the heat and add cheese until melted.
- Drain cooked pasta and add to the casserole dish. Add the sauce evenly over the pasta. I like to mix it in a little making sure all the noodles have a little sauce.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes is complete, melt 2 tablespoons of butter
- Stir the butter into the bread crumbs then add the mixture to the top of the pasta evenly.
- Broil uncovered for 5-10 minutes or the topping is brown. Enjoy!
This recipe can also be found in Weekly Dinners for 2 under $70 – Menu 2
Side Options
Soup is a great option as well!
You can make any soup vegetarian by using vegetarian broth and omitting the meat. I like to add more vegetables or grains. I like to add potatoes to the Italian sausage kale soup. You can omit the beef from the barley soup. Southwest chicken soup is great with bulgur and garbanzo beans instead of chicken.
