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Avatar photoEmily Garcia

Baked Ziti

This hearty and delicious recipe layers ziti pasta, a robust meat sauce, and creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that's perfect for family gatherings or cozy dinners.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Casserole, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Ziti pasta (Pasta)
  • 1 pound Ground beef (or Italian sausage) (Meat Sauce)
  • 1 small Small onion, diced (Meat Sauce)
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced (Meat Sauce)
  • 1 can (28 oz) Crushed tomatoes (Meat Sauce)
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (Meat Sauce)
  • 1 tsp Salt (Meat Sauce)
  • 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Meat Sauce)
  • 2 cups Ricotta cheese (Cheese Filling)
  • 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese (Divided) (Cheese Filling)
  • 1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese (Divided) (Cheese Filling)
  • 0.25 cup Fresh parsley, chopped (Garnish)

Equipment

  • large pot for pasta
  • large skillet for meat sauce
  • $9 times 13text{ inch}$ baking dish for assembling and baking

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to $375^{circ}text{F}$ ($190^{circ}text{C}$). Cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef (or Italian sausage) and diced onion for 5–7 minutes until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent. Drain any excess fat. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked ziti, the meat sauce, and the ricotta cheese. Mix gently until the pasta is well coated.
  5. In a greased $9 times 13text{ inch}$ baking dish: Layer half of the pasta mixture. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Add the remaining pasta mixture. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
  8. Let the baked ziti cool for a few minutes before garnishing with fresh parsley and serving.

Notes

For best results, cook the ziti only until al dente, as it will continue to cook in the oven. For a lighter version, you can use part-skim ricotta cheese. To add a bit of heat, stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce while it simmers. This dish is excellent for making ahead: assemble, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.