Baked Ziti

5 from 1 vote

Baked ziti is a pasta bake recipe that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family! It’s packed with pasta, cheese, and a meaty marinara sauce, and it’s perfect for assembling in advance for an easy weeknight dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked ziti, ground beef

Servings:

Calories: 468kcal

Author: Kasey Schwartz

Ingredients

1 lb ziti pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 cups marinara sauce
15 oz fresh ricotta
12 oz mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
1 cup grated parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water until just al dente - drain.
In a deep pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onion and cook until softenened.
Add ground beef to pan and cook with onions - breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are softened (5-7 minutes).
Add minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and saute another minute.
Add marinara sauce and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Spread a ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
Add ricotta cheese into the sauce and meat mixture just until combined.
Add cooked pasta and stir just until noodles are coated.
Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 grated parmesan. Add remaining pasta and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes. Broil 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese.
Let cool 5 minutes then garnish with basil if desired and serve with a side of garlic bread and salad for a full meal.

Video

Notes

It’s important to cook the pasta to al dente because it will continue cooking once it’s combined with the sauce and baked in the oven. If your pasta is over-cooked, it will get mushy and fall apart!

Nutrition