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Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno

Olive Garden 5 Cheese Ziti Al Forno

Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno is the ultimate pasta dupe—ziti noodles swimming in a bold, cheesy blend of marinara and Alfredo, with five Italian cheeses baked right in. Topped with gooey mozzarella and baked to perfection, it’s like date night at Olive Garden… minus the bill and the awkward waiter small talk.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Entree
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 cups
Calories 652 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Marinara Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small sweet onion 1 cup, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 28 oz tomato puree
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar

Alfredo Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 tsp flour
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup Romano cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup Asiago grated
  • 1/4 cup Ricotta
  • 1/4 cup gouda grated

Ziti Al Forno

  • 1 lb ziti
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven (do not use cast iron, as the acidity of the tomatoes may make the sauce taste metallic) over medium heat.
    2 tbsp olive oil
  • When the oil is hot, add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes translucent and very fragrant.
    1 small sweet onion, 5 cloves garlic
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, ground black pepper and sugar to the pot and stir to combine.
    28 oz crushed tomatoes, 28 oz tomato puree, 28 oz diced tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp sugar
  • Lower the heat and place a lid on the pot. Simmer (not boil) for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • While marinara is simmering, boil water for ziti and cook to al dente. Preheat oven to 375º
    1 lb ziti
  • When the pasta has about 4-5 minutes left, in a saucepan on medium heat, sauce butter and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
    2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • Whisk in flour
    2 tsp flour
  • quickly add half and half and all cheeses to saucepan and stir frequently until the sauce begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
    2 cups half and half, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, 1/4 cup Asiago, 1/4 cup Ricotta, 1/4 cup gouda
  • Pour Alfredo sauce into marinara sauce and stir to combine. Drain pasta.
  • Spray a large 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay out cooked pasta in bottom of baking dish.
  • Pour 5 Cheese Marinara over ziti. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes.
    3 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • Change oven to Broil-Low and broil for 3-5 minutes until top starts to bubble. Watch closely as broilers can cook quick!

Notes

How to reheat ziti al forno: 
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
 
**We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupCalories: 652kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 31gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 1473mgPotassium: 1259mgFiber: 7gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1517IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 704mgIron: 5mg
Keyword olive garden, recipe
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