Name: Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno Copycat (Video)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Ziti pasta; 1/4 cup bread crumbs ((for the topping)); 2 cups marinara sauce; 1 cup heavy cream; 15 oz drained diced tomatoes ((or two fresh tomatoes, diced)); 1 tsp sugar; 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese blend ((grated parmesan, Romano, Asiago) ); 1/2 cup fontina cheese ((can use grated Monterey Jack)); 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese ((grated ))

Five Cheese Ziti al Forno is a baked ziti recipe that’s always a hit! The Olive Garden version is made with al dente pasta, tomato sauce, heavy cream, and cheese.

We make many things from scratch, and this Olive Garden Marinara Sauce is the perfect tomato sauce for this Copycat Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno Recipe!

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Pasta Recipes are always a smart way to feed a crowd! They’re quick and easy, which is why we often turn to them. Nowadays, there are many gluten-free and healthier pasta choices to make for dinner. So, let the pasta recipes come! We love this Easy Lasagna Recipe and One Pot Creamy Angel Hair Pasta Recipe!

Watch How to Make Ziti Al Forno at Home!

Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno Olive Garden

I love recreating my favorite restaurant dishes! You guys love this recipe, too, over on Pinterest, and many of you have said it tastes exactly like Olive Garden!

We get a ton of great feedback on this Copycat to Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno!

The type of marinara sauce makes a big difference in the overall taste of this dish. If you use a bland tomato sauce, you may need to add additional seasonings. However, the Aldi Priano Marinara Sauce was the best for this ziti recipe.

If you can’t find it, then make my Olive Garden Marinara Sauce from scratch! It is so worth it and tastes just like the marinara sauce from the restaurant (we tested it side-by-side, we know)!

We have made this recipe so many times that anyone who has tried it highly raves about it. When I make five-cheese ziti Al Forno for dinner, it gets baked in a casserole dish for easier serving.

This pasta dish has simple ingredients (no canned Alfredo sauce here) and is one of the easiest dinners to throw together! The five-cheese marinara sauce is so good as a dipping sauce for Breadsticks, too!

Ingredients For Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno:

I love how simple this Olive Garden five-cheese ziti is! You don’t need to buy all the different cheeses separately; Italian cheese blends are so handy, and no extra ingredients, like ricotta or meat, are needed.

Pasta- ziti and rigatoni are great choices for holding chunkier sauces, due to their tubular shape. Any tube-shaped pasta will work.
Marinara Sauce- choose a well-seasoned tomato sauce for the best flavor.
Diced Tomatoes- Make this sauce chunkier and more acidic.
Sugar- balances out all the acidic tomato products, creating a very desirable marinara sauce.
Cheeses—I used an Italian blend of parmesan, Romano, and Asiago, as well as mozzarella and Fontina. This five-cheese ziti works with any combination of cheeses; I’ve gotten away with just mozzarella and parmesan when short on cheese.

How to Make Five Cheese Ziti (Al Forno Olive Garden Copycat)

Olive Garden Restaurants have commercial ovens that are much more powerful, hence the quicker baking times. To replicate the same concept here, you’d broil the top to reheat the ziti fast. This keeps the pasta from drying out. I find this method of serving best if you have fresh pasta separate from the sauce and cheeses, so prepare it fresh before serving.

For the home cook, it’s best to layer the pasta over a baking dish and assemble it immediately.

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Drain the pasta into a colander and rinse with cold water. Then, toss with oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the marinara sauce, heavy cream, diced tomatoes, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese blend, 1/2 cup of fontina cheese, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Stir until bubbly and remove from heat.
Place pasta in an oven-safe serving dish and ladle sauce over the top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese blend. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top, and broil just until the cheese browns. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Five-Cheese Ziti Casserole Instructions: Place the pasta in a lightly greased baking dish to bake ziti in a casserole dish. Ladle all the sauce over the top and sprinkle with one cup of mozzarella and a quarter cup of parmesan cheese. Top with breadcrumbs and bake covered at 350°F for 30-45 minutes. Then broil the top until golden.

Can I Make-Ahead or Freeze?

This ziti pasta freezes very well. The key is to prepare it according to the recipe instructions and assemble it in a casserole dish or disposable 9×13 pan. Cool it completely before wrapping it with foil and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat Ziti Al Forno, thaw completely and bake in a preheated 350°F (176°C) oven for 45-60 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Q&A

What Is Ziti Al Forno?

The Italian word al Forno translates to “in the oven,” meaning ziti baked in the oven. It’s an Italian way of preparing food in the oven, such as pizza, lasagna, pasta, and bread.

I Don’t Have Breadcrumbs?

You can skip the breadcrumbs; they just add a nice crunch and garnish to this baked ziti recipe. Croutons or breadcrumbs are easy to make from any kind of bread (preferably white bread like French or Italian bread loaves).

To Make Homemade Breadcrumbs: Take a loaf of bread and cut it into desired pieces (leftover bread works best). Spread it over a baking sheet and bake at a low temperature of 300°F or less for 10-20 minutes, until the bread dries. Run through a blender to make fine crumbs.

What To Serve With Ziti Al Forno:

Warm Breadsticks, just like Olive Garden’s. Save some of that five-cheese marinara sauce for dipping!
A fresh salad with a vinaigrette like a zesty Italian or Greek dressing.
This Shrimp Fritto Misto appetizer is served at Olive Garden.
A crusty loaf of Sourdough Bread.

Tips for Making Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno At Home:

Cook the pasta al dente.
Tossing the pasta in oil after boiling helps prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Assemble pasta into a 9×13 casserole dish for an easy weeknight dinner.
Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno freezes well; assemble in a disposable 9×13 pan for a quick freezer meal.
Use a flavorful and well-seasoned marinara sauce. If the tomato sauce is bland, you will need to add additional seasonings.
Substitute for cheeses that you have on hand. I’ve gotten away with using only parmesan and mozzarella cheese without affecting the flavors.

More Italian Recipes To Make:

Here are more Copycat Olive Garden recipes to make at home.

five cheese ziti al forno olive garden copycat on a plate with cheese blend and breadcrumbs

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