Description
Million Dollar Baked Ziti brings pure pasta magic straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Creamy cheese, zesty sauce, and perfectly cooked ziti create a hearty meal that feeds families and makes everyone smile.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 375F, ensuring the rack sits in the center position.
- Boil the entire 1 pound box of ziti pasta in salted water until al dente, following package directions. Drain thoroughly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Sauté the chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves until they become translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking meat into small crumbles while cooking until no pink remains.
- Pour 2 cups marinara sauce into the meat mixture, stirring in 1 cup ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Gently fold the cooked ziti pasta into the meat sauce, ensuring every noodle gets coated.
- Transfer half the pasta mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish, spreading evenly across the bottom.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the first layer of pasta.
- Add the remaining pasta mixture on top, then cover completely with another 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese turns golden and bubbles around the edges.
Notes
- Swap ground beef and sausage with plant-based alternatives for a vegetarian version that keeps all the rich flavor.
- Let the ziti rest for 10 minutes after baking so the cheese sets and makes serving easier without losing its creamy texture.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for superior melting and a more complex cheese flavor compared to pre-packaged versions.
- Choose a high-quality marinara sauce or make your own to elevate the entire dish’s depth and authenticity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg