Description
A comforting and hearty baked ziti layered with rich red meat sauce, creamy cheese, and tender pasta. This classic Italian-American casserole is perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or parties and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1.5 lbs lean ground beef
28 oz crushed tomatoes
15 oz tomato sauce
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb ziti pasta or penne
Fresh basil, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, oregano, marjoram, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, cook the ziti pasta in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain well.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
- Combine drained pasta with the red sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- In a 9×13-inch casserole dish, layer half of the pasta mixture, spread all the cheese mixture over it, then top with the remaining pasta and sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Use Italian sausage instead of ground beef for extra flavor or mix both for a spicy twist.
Substitute ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
Add vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini for more nutrition.
To prevent cheese from burning, cover loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking.
Can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
Freezes well for up to 2 months; bake from frozen for about 1 hour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (about 1/10 of dish)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
