Five cheese ziti al forno is a cheesy twist to the classic baked ziti that is a copycat to the Olive Garden version. It’s super easy with restaurant flavors.

Are you a cheese lover? If so, get ready to satisfy your cheesy cravings with this incredibly delicious five cheese ziti al forno. Packed with five different types of cheese, this pasta dish is a true delight for cheese enthusiasts.

Made popular from Olive Garden this recipe uses classic ziti with the famous five cheese marinara. Brought into your kitchen I show you how to make the marinara and create a delicious copycat that not only your stomach will love but your wallet as well.

This dish is incredibly tasty, but it’s also easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking skills, you can whip up this crowd-pleasing pasta in no time.

Whether you’re looking for a comforting weeknight meal or planning a special dinner with friends and family, this five cheese ziti al forno is a guaranteed hit.

How To Make Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno At Home

Ingredients needed

Ziti pasta
Marinara sauce
Alfredo sauce
Ricotta cheese
Italian cheese blend (asiago, parmesan and romano)
Italian breadcrumbs
Mozzarella

Helpful tips before starting the recipe

Due to some ingredients, when you are tasting for salt before baking the sauce may have a gritty texture to it. This is due to you not heating the sauce to a very high heat to melt the ingredient and the starches are showing themselves. After you put the recipe in the oven the sauce will heat to a point where that will no longer be an issue when serving.
I use jar ingredients because it is easier and it’ll be more cost effective. Creating a homemade alfredo sauce is great and you can do that here but when mixing into a sauce it’s really a waste of added money and those ingredients when the flavor will be muted by stronger notes such as tomato.

Making the five cheese ziti al forno

First, in a sauce pan or pot heat the marinara. In this step you are only melting the cheeses enough so they are blended in the sauce, perfection isn’t needed. Mix in the alfredo, ricotta and the Italian cheese blend until everything has melted into the marinara. Taste for salt, you’ll need it.
While melting the cheeses, cook the ziti by the instructions on the package and preheat your oven to 400F.
You’ll need a 16×9 baking dish. Drain the pasta and immediately add it into the sauce. Place the sauce in the baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella. Finish the dish off by mixing breadcrumbs with melted butter and spreading it on top of the cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven. Once done, allow to cool a bit then serve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is five cheese ziti al forno at Olive Garden?

It’s their baked ziti dish with their five cheese marinara sauce.

try weeknight chicken broccoli ziti

Does the recipe have meat in it?

No, from the restaurant the ziti does not have meat similar to a vegetarian ziti. But, you’re making it in your home and the options are endless to add ground beef, sausage or any meat of your choice.

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