Easy Baked Ziti Recipe – Frugal Recipe
For the next four weeks, I will be showcasing some of the frugal recipes I make at home. Let me preface by saying, I am not a master chef, but I am a master at saving money. And one of my favorite ways to save money is to meal plan and save on food.
Yes, your food bill does not have to take up your entire paycheck. You can make yummy recipes that will leave your family feeling full and you will save money on evening snacks if you are cooking these mouth-watering, easy meals.
The best part about this easy-baked ziti recipe is there are always leftovers so I usually get two meals out of this recipe, which costs around $7 total to make so that is $3.50 per meal. -Not $3.50 per serving, $3.50 per meal! You get my excitement here, right?
Related Frugal Recipes Posts:
- Easy Tuna Noodle
- Slow Cooker Cheap Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Smothered Pork
- Easy Pasta Salad
- How to Create a Stockpile on a Budget
This recipe will also be part of a new meal plan I am working on, so you will have two meals for the price of one in your meal plan which saves you time and money.
The best part is, that my kids will eat this easy recipe, as they love most traditional Italian pasta recipes.
This is also a vegetarian recipe so it will work well with a vegetarian meal plan.
One way to save money on food is to plan at least two vegetarian meals per week. You can include meals with cheese, eggs, or beans as your protein to save more.
A good rule of thumb is to pick a theme for every night of the week to keep it simple and easy for you when you are planning your meals.
Daily Meal Ideas:
Monday: Meatless – pasta or breakfast food
Tuesday: Beef
Wednesday: Chicken
Thursday: Pork
Friday: Fish
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Beans
Related Meal Planning Posts:
- Two-Week Budget-Friendly Dinner Meal Plan – Under $75
- Cheap Meal Plan for Two – All Meals Under $30
- Two-Week Dinner Meal Plan Under $40 Your Family Will Love
- Budget-Friendly Fall Meal Plan
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
I bought my ingredients at Target. I love the market pantry brand, but you could just as easily do your shopping at Kroger or Meijer and spend about the same.
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
Ingredients
I purchased all of my ingredients from Target and they were all Market Pantry brand. I find Target’s ricotta cheese cost less than most grocery stores and is of high quality. It is around $2.00 for a 15 oz. container.
ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
mozzarella cheese (8 oz. or 2 cups)
Italian seasoning (optional)
ziti noodles (16 oz.)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (26 oz.)
Baked Ziti Directions:
- Heat your oven to 375 degrees
- Spray your dish with cooking spray to avoid sticking
- Boil ziti noodles according to the package
- Mix together ricotta cheese, about 1 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning together and set aside
- Drain noodles and place them in the baking pan
- Add spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and stir into the noodles
- Pour spaghetti sauce all over the cheese and noodle mixture
- Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes
- Add remaining cheese to the top and bake an extra 5-7 minutes
- Enjoy!
Round-up Cheap Meal Related Posts:
- 50 Cheap Meals Your Family Will Love
- 70 Slow Cooker Recipes
- 50 Make-Ahead Tailgate Recipes
- Keto on a Budget- 35 Delicious Meals
- 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Mouthwatering Baked Ziti Final Thoughts
This dish is super filling even though it is vegetarian. If you prefer, you could add meat to your spaghetti sauce, but this will add time and money to your recipes. If you are looking to keep your costs down, make the recipe as is and enjoy it! You can add this to your collection of easy, cheap, and yummy recipes to make over and over!
Easy Baked Ziti Recipe – Frugal Recipe
