Description
A comforting baked ziti recipe featuring perfectly cooked pasta layered with rich meat sauce and creamy cheeses, perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (ziti or penne), cooked al dente
- 1 pound ground beef or sausage (optional), browned
- 2 cups tomato sauce (marinara or your favorite)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking meat and drizzling)
- to taste salt and pepper (for seasoning)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumb topping (optional, toasted with garlic and butter)
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add your pasta—either ziti or penne. Cook the pasta until it is just al dente, which usually takes about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside once it’s done.
- Take a skillet and heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. If you’re using ground beef or sausage, add it to the skillet. Cook the meat until it’s nicely browned, which should take about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- After the meat is browned, stir in the tomato sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese) with the beaten egg, half of the shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until it’s smooth and well combined.
- In a baking dish, start layering your ingredients: first, add half of the cooked pasta, then top it with half of the meat sauce, followed by half of the cheese mixture, and half of the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat this layering process with the rest of the ingredients.
- If using breadcrumbs, mix them with a little melted butter and garlic, then sprinkle this mixture over the top of your ziti.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Once heated, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the baked ziti from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. For freezing, let cool and store in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: baked ziti, comfort food, pasta dish