One Pot Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Copy Cat tastes even better than Ziti dishes you’d order from a restaurant! This One Pot meal is a fast, easy, dump and go dinner that won’t leave you with a sink full of dishes! All it takes is a handful of ingredients to create this Pasta dish.
You will love this one-pot Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno!
One Pot Meals are exactly what the name implies. A meal, made all in one pot.
You know what is even better than a One Pot Meal? A Dump and Go One Pot Meal. This Creamy Ziti has Z-E-R-O prep.
Need to help your child with their math homework and make dinner? No problem. You are 30 minutes away from amazing pasta that I happen to like even better than Olive Garden’s 5 Cheese Ziti.
One pot Five Cheese Ziti inspiration
This dish was originally made in the Instant Pot. My Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti Recipe has (as of today) been pinned over 32 THOUSAND TIMES since I posted the recipe one month ago!
Along with all of those repins came a lot of messages with the question ‘I don’t have an Instant Pot! How do I make this without it?’
So, all of you Instant Pot-less people, here it is and you’re welcome. 🙂
When I tested this recipe out on the stovetop, I was planning on taking it to a friend who had just had surgery. Let’s just say I am glad I purposely made some extra because my husband and I could not stop eating it.
This is every bit as good as the Instant Pot version.. maybe even a dash better. ?
Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno (Olive Garden Copycat) ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp minced garlic dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz ziti pasta dry
- 1 cup red pasta sauce
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
How to make Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno
- In a large skillet, mix together broth, cream, salt, pepper, minced garlic and dry ziti pasta.
- Cover and heat over medium high heat until it starts to simmer. Once it starts to simmer uncover the skillet and let it simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the pasta is aldente.
- Turn the heat down to low and add in the red pasta sauce. I like to use the Hunt’s brand four-cheese pasta sauce.
- Lastly, fresh parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese are gradually added to the skillet. As the cheese melts it will thicken the sauce up.
- Let the pasta cool for 5 or so minutes and the sauce will soak into the pasta a bit and the sauce will thicken even more.
- Serve and be amazed at how tasty it is for the amount of work it took to get onto the table.
How to serve 5 Cheese Ziti
Serve your ziti as is, topped with bread crumbs for an extra crunch and even garnish with some fresh basil (yum!) I always serve it will some grilled chicken for protein and a side salad to balance out the meal.
How to store Five Cheese Ziti
To store leftover Five Cheese Ziti, you should first allow it to cool down to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the pasta to an airtight container or a sealable plastic bag. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you need to store the pasta for a longer period, you can also freeze it. To freeze, transfer the cooled pasta to an airtight container or a sealable freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Make sure to label the container or bag with the date and name of the dish.
When you are ready to reheat the Five Cheese Ziti, you can either microwave it in short intervals, stirring occasionally, or reheat it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. You may want to add a splash of milk or cream to the pasta before reheating to help keep it moist and creamy.
One Pot One Pot 5 Cheese Ziti Bake Ziti Pasta Bake
(Printable Recipe Below)
One Pot Creamy Ziti Pasta tastes even better than Ziti dishes you’d order from a restaurant! This One Pot meal is a fast, easy, dump and go dinner that won’t leave you with a sink full of dishes! All it takes is a handful of ingredients to create this Pasta dish.
PIN ME!!
Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno FAQs
No, but chicken, ground beef or ground sausage pair well with the dish!
The Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno at Olive Garden is made with a blend of five different cheeses: mozzarella, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, and fontina. The cheeses are melted together to create a creamy and flavorful sauce that coats the ziti pasta.
No, it is not.
This depends on how large of a serving you eat- you can find the nutritional information at the bottom of this post.
The term “al forno” is an Italian phrase that means “baked in the oven”. When a dish is prepared “al forno” style, it typically means that it is baked in the oven until it is hot and bubbly, and sometimes topped with a crispy layer of bread crumbs or cheese.
With my recipe, we are making things easy and skipping this step but feel free to cook your pasta further in the oven with a crispy bread crumb topping.
Lasagna is a layered pasta dish with cheese, meat and sauce while al forno can be any type of pasta baked in a dish.
Want more great recipes? Check these out!!
- Instant Pot Cashew Chicken and Noodles
- Dump and Start Instant Pot Alfredo
- Pulled Teriyaki Chicken Sliders
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Wraps
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Alfredo Sauce
- Pressure Cooker Steak
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Asiago Bagel
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Olive Garden 5 Cheese Ziti Al Forno (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp minced garlic dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz ziti pasta dry
- 1 cup red pasta sauce
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, combine the broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and dry pasta.
- Cover and heat over medium high heat until it starts to simmer.
- Once it is simmering, take the lid off and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the pasta is aldente.
- When the pasta is cooked, turn the heat down to medium low.
- Add in the red pasta sauce and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually add in the cheese and stir to melt the cheese into the sauce. The cheese will thicken the sauce as it melts.
- Let the pasta rest for 5 or so minutes to let the pasta absorb a little of the sauce and then serve.
karlibitner says
Love that addition! ❤️
Meghan says
My family likes some meat with their pasta. At what point would you suggest adding meat to this dish?
Karli Bitner says
You could add in browned ground beef or browned sausage! I would just brown it separately and then stir it in at the end.
Hope says
What is the heavy cream?
Karli Bitner says
This is found in the dairy section of your grocery store. Near the half and half, buttermilk etc. It will say heavy whipping cream on the carton.
Sam says
Hi- This dish sounds so yummy! I’m having company tonight and don’t want to be cooking in the kitchen while they are here so id like to make this a few hours in advance. Would you suggest cooking the pasta a little less maybe and then put it in the oven to reheat? Or just reheat in the stove top again. I’m iffy with reheating pasta because I don’t want it to be too mushy. What are your thoughts?
Thanks
Karli Bitner says
I would probably undercook the pasta a tad and then reheat in the oven.
Lisa says
Hans down our favorite pasta recipe for in the pressure cooker! It reheats really well too. This one goes in my permanent rotation file. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sarina says
Am I able to substitute vegetable broth instead of chicken broth? Wondering if the taste will be the same.
Karli Bitner says
I haven’t ever made this substitution before so I can’t say for sure, but I would assume it would still be delicious. 🙂