Baked Ziti for Large Group

The Baked Ziti for Large Group calculator computes the amount of ingredients needed to prepare baked ziti for a group.

INSTRUCTIONS: Enter the following:

• (n) Number of People to be Served

Baked Ziti Ingredients (BZI): The calculator returns the amounts of the following ingredients:

The amounts of ingredients above are given in common kitchen units such as pounds of meat, cups of cheese, ounces of tomatoes, and teaspoons of seasoning. These can all be automatically converted to compatible units via the pull-down menu beside each ingredient.

Cooking Instructions

Preparing the Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add chopped onions and cook until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
4. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
5. Add basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.
6. Preparing the Ricotta Mixture
7. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, chopped parsley, and a small pinch of salt.

Preparing the Pasta

1. Cook ziti in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Assembling the Baked Ziti
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. In a greased baking dish, layer sauce, pasta, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella.
5. Repeat layering. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Baking the Ziti

1. Cover with foil (tent slightly to prevent sticking) and bake for 25 minutes.
2. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
3. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

The Math / Science

The recipe used is for a serving of 9 people as follows:

The calculator will use these amounts, dividing by 9 and multiplying by the number of servings to determine the correct ingredient quantities.

Group Meal Planning Calculator

Serving food to larger groups often requires dishes that are easy to prepare in bulk, can be kept warm or cold for extended periods, and are generally well-received by a diverse audience. 

Imagine you’re hosting a party for 50 people. You want to serve lasagna, a garden salad, garlic bread, and brownies for dessert. Here's how the calculator helps:

• Step 1: Select lasagna, garden salad, garlic bread, and brownies from the menu.
• Step 2: Enter "50" as your guest count.
• Step 3: Instantly receive ingredient lists for each dish, scaled to serve 50 people.
• Step 4: Generate and print your complete shopping list.

No more guessing or manual calculations—our Group Meal Planning Calculator does it all for you. Say goodbye to the hassle of meal planning and enjoy your event stress-free!

Here are some popular options:

Main Courses

Pasta Dishes

• Lasagna
• Baked Ziti
• Spaghetti with meatballs or marinara sauce

Casseroles

• Chicken and rice casserole
• Shepherd's pie
• Macaroni and Cheese

Barbecue and Grill

• Hotdogs: Computes the number of hotdogs (sausages etc.) for a group including buns and fixings.
• Hamburgers
• Pulled pork or pulled chicken: Compute the amount of pulled pork needed for a group.
• Ribs
• Grilled chicken or sausages

Tacos/Burritos

• Taco bars with various fillings (beef, chicken, beans)
• Burrito bowls

Pizza

• Various toppings to cater to different preferences

Sandwiches/Subs

• Assorted cold cuts
• Meatball subs
• Pulled pork sandwiches

Sides

Salads

• Garden salad
• Caesar salad
• Pasta salad
• Potato salad: Computes the pounds of potatoes and amount of ingredients to make potato salad for a group.
• Coleslaw

Vegetables

• Roasted vegetables
• Green beans almondine
• Baked Beans: Computes the amount of baked beans (ounces and cans) for a group including additions to enhance the baked beans (e.g., bacon, onions etc)
• Corn on the cob

Potatoes

• Mashed potatoes
• Baked potatoes
• Potato wedges or fries

Bread/Rolls

• Garlic bread
• Dinner rolls
• Cornbread