Description
Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is a comforting and flavorful dish that combines extra lean ground beef, rich marinara sauce, and a creamy ricotta filling, all topped with a gooey layer of mozzarella cheese. It’s an easy, satisfying meal perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying a cozy family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Add the marinara sauce to the skillet with the beef. Stir to combine and let simmer for 5-10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- In a separate bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, egg, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and parsley.
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread half of the cooked pasta. Top with half of the meat sauce, followed by half of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, sauce, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef for a lighter version.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top before baking.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it. Just bake for a bit longer when you’re ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian