Description
Baked Ziti layers tender pasta, rich sauce, and gooey cheese into classic comfort. It’s the kind of dish that brings everyone back to the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb italian sausage
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
Cheese Topping:
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Binding:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Boil 1 lb of ziti pasta in salted water for 8-9 minutes until perfectly tender. Drain completely.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb italian sausage, breaking meat into small crumbles.
- Drain excess grease from the meat and return to the skillet.
- Pour 24 oz marinara sauce into the meat mixture and stir thoroughly. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs with 15 oz ricotta cheese, 1 tbsp italian seasoning, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
- Create first pasta layer by spreading half the cooked ziti across the greased baking dish.
- Spread ricotta mixture evenly across the first pasta layer using a spatula.
- Pour half the meat sauce over the ricotta layer, ensuring even coverage.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese across the meat sauce.
- Add remaining pasta as the second layer, creating a complete coverage.
- Top with remaining meat sauce and another 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Generously dust ½ cup parmesan cheese across the top.
- Cover the dish completely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and edges bubble.
- Allow ziti to rest for 10 minutes before serving to help it set and cool slightly.
Notes
- Let the pasta cook just until al dente to prevent a mushy texture and ensure perfect bite.
- Drain meat thoroughly to keep the dish from becoming greasy and maintain a rich, clean flavor.
- Mix ricotta ingredients well to create a smooth, creamy layer that blends seamlessly with other components.
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for beef and use part-skim mozzarella to reduce calories.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 702 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 770 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 133 mg