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Home » Main Dish » One Pot Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Copy Cat

One Pot Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Copy Cat

May 1, 2018 · 28 Comments

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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.

copy cat Olive Garden 5 cheese ziti made in one pot

One Pot Meals

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.

5 cheese ziti copy cat made all in one pan.

One Pot Creamy 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This dish was originally made in the Instant Pot.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. ?

Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese thicken the sauce and make this dish rich and delicious.

How to make One Pot Creamy Ziti Pasta

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.

Easy one-pot 30 minute meal.

One Pot Creamy 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.

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

  1. In a large skillet, combine the broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and dry pasta.
  2. Cover and heat over medium high heat until it starts to simmer.
  3. Once it is simmering, take the lid off and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
  4. When the pasta is cooked, turn the heat down to medium low.
  5. Add in the red pasta sauce and stir until thoroughly combined.
  6. Gradually add in the cheese and stir to melt the cheese into the sauce. The cheese will thicken the sauce as it melts.
  7. Let the pasta rest for 5 or so minutes to let the pasta absorb a little of the sauce and then serve.

PIN ME!!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. |Cooking with Karli| #zitibake #copycat #olivegarden #creamyziti #onepot #30minmeal #fast #easy

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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Easy one-pot 30 minute meal.

One Pot Creamy Ziti Pasta Bake

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.
Follow me on YouTube!Find all of my videos and don't forget to subscribe!!!
4.69 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Keyword: bake creamy ziti, bake pasta, creamy ziti, one pot, one pot creamy ziti, one pot creamy ziti pasta bake, pasta, ziti
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 437kcal
Author: Karli Bitner

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.

Notes

Serve and be amazed at how tasty it is for the amount of work it took to get onto the table.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1425mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g
Tried this recipe?Post on social media and tag @cookingwithkarli !!
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Karli Bitner
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Karli Bitner
This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. There isn’t ever a shortage of crazy. I can promise you that! Buckle up, keep your hand and legs inside at all times and enjoy the ride!
Karli Bitner
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Fast Food, Main Dish, Pasta

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robin Perkins says

    May 31, 2018 at 9:07 am

    Can this be doubled easily for a larger family?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      May 31, 2018 at 9:09 am

      Yes! This doubles great. ?

      Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    May 31, 2018 at 9:10 pm

    5 stars
    I doubled this recipe tonight and it was a big hit. The only thing different was that I had to use penne because my Safeway didn’t have ziti.

    My kid is on her second bowl and has already packed some to take to school for lunch tomorrow. That’s my barometer for a successful recipe!

    Next time I’ll leave out the salt in the beginning step because the broth I keep on hand is salty enough. The dish still tasted great this time but a smidge less salt wouldn’t have hurt it any.

    Pinning on my “tried and true” board for future reference! As much as I love my Instant Pot, I don’t think this recipe needs it because it’s already so quick and easy. I’ll be using this version in the future.

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      May 31, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      So happy to hear this!! I love when my kiddos ask for seconds, too. Happens every time with this meal!! ❤️

      Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    June 21, 2018 at 8:35 am

    How many servings is this?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      June 21, 2018 at 9:29 am

      Hi Tiffany, this serves 4-6. 4 if this is the only dish being served, 6 if you are planning on having other sides. ?

      Reply
  4. Tiffany Lockard says

    June 21, 2018 at 9:31 am

    Thank you! Gonna double and try tonight!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      June 21, 2018 at 9:33 am

      Awesome! Hope you love it, Tiffany! ?

      Reply
  5. Karissa Belfils says

    September 26, 2018 at 12:47 pm

    Super excited to try this recipe! Quick question: If you don’t have jarred Pasta Sauce, can you make your own? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      September 26, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      You definitely can! Some tomato sauce with some Italian seasoning will do the trick!

      Reply
  6. Stephanie says

    October 16, 2018 at 11:48 am

    Could you substitute half and half for the heavy whipping cream? Thank you!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      October 16, 2018 at 9:19 pm

      Hi Stephanie! I wouldn’t recommend substituting half and half. Half-and-half tends to separate and curdle, due to the lower fat content. If you are looking for a skinnier option, I would suggest giving evaporated milk a try. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  7. Leslie says

    October 18, 2018 at 8:17 pm

    Has anyone tried to freeze this? Wondering if it would work to take to recoverying family.

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      October 19, 2018 at 8:54 am

      Hi Leslie- I haven’t ever frozen this, I’m not sure how it would reheat. Sorry I don’t have a better answer! I’ll freeze some next time I make it to try it out.

      Reply
  8. JoAnn Burton says

    October 23, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Can I use whole milk rather than heavy cream?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      October 23, 2018 at 10:58 pm

      Hi JoAnn, Whole milk doesn’t have enough fat to stabilize it while boiling. It will most likely curdle. If you are looking for a more health conscious option to the Heavy Cream I would suggest giving Evaporated Milk a try. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  9. Corinne says

    January 1, 2019 at 9:24 pm

    Hi, do you have a baking recipe for this? I need to make about 8x this amount, and am unsure about the best way to go about it.

    Delicious recipe, by the way!

    Reply
  10. Corinne says

    January 1, 2019 at 9:36 pm

    Might a large batch work in a large pot, such as the size for boiling potatoes?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      January 5, 2019 at 1:02 am

      Corinne- I apologize for taking so long to get back with you!! I would suggest either a large pot, like for potatoes, or making a couple of doubled batches. Hopefully it works out well for you!

      Reply
  11. Denise says

    February 25, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    This dish was a huge hit with my family! I was surprised how juicy and flavorful it was. The only change I made was to add 1\4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      February 26, 2019 at 12:11 am

      Love that addition! ❤️

      Reply
  12. Meghan says

    June 15, 2020 at 6:25 am

    My family likes some meat with their pasta. At what point would you suggest adding meat to this dish?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      June 16, 2020 at 1:47 pm

      You could add in browned ground beef or browned sausage! I would just brown it separately and then stir it in at the end.

      Reply
  13. Hope says

    August 16, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    What is the heavy cream?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      September 17, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      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.

      Reply
  14. Sam says

    September 26, 2020 at 6:05 am

    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

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      November 25, 2020 at 8:55 am

      I would probably undercook the pasta a tad and then reheat in the oven.

      Reply
  15. Lisa says

    December 15, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply

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This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house.

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