Description
Baked Ziti brings pure comfort straight from my kitchen to your table, packed with cheesy goodness that makes dinner feel like a warm hug. Melted mozzarella, rich tomato sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta create a simple yet satisfying meal your family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Meat:
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
Cheese:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Extras:
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Boil 4 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon salt. Drop 1 pound ziti pasta and cook for 8-9 minutes until tender. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat large skillet over medium-high. Brown 1 pound ground beef, breaking into small pieces. Add 1 diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Sauté 3-4 minutes until onions soften.
- Pour 28 ounces crushed tomatoes into meat mixture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix 2 cups ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, pinch of salt and pepper in separate bowl. Combine ingredients until smooth and well-blended.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread thin layer of meat sauce across bottom of dish.
- Layer half the cooked ziti over meat sauce. Spread half the cheese mixture evenly. Pour another layer of meat sauce on top.
- Add remaining ziti and cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese across surface.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes at 375°F. Remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Garnish with ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Always cook pasta just until al dente to prevent it from becoming mushy during baking.
- Drain pasta well and don’t rinse to help sauce cling better and maintain flavor.
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey or chicken for beef and use part-skim ricotta.
- Fresh herbs like basil or oregano can replace dried Italian seasoning for a brighter flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg