Description
A warm and comforting baked ziti dish featuring layers of ziti, marinara sauce, and creamy cheeses, perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 3 cups marinara sauce (well-seasoned)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (preferably whole milk)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add ground beef or Italian sausage, cooking until browned.
- Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning, letting it simmer for a few minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, half of the Parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Grease a baking dish. Layer half the cooked ziti, spread half the ricotta mixture, sprinkle half the mozzarella, and add half the meat sauce. Repeat the layers. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a bit of a kick, consider adding red pepper flakes to the meat sauce. Mix different cheeses for more flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 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: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: baked ziti, pasta, Italian, comfort food, family meal