Description
A hearty and comforting Italian-American dish featuring ziti pasta baked with a rich meat sauce and melted cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook ziti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Layer half the ziti in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with half the meat sauce, half the ricotta mixture, and half the mozzarella.
- Repeat the layers with remaining ingredients.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or Italian sausage for the beef.
- Add sautéed onions or mushrooms to the meat sauce for extra flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: baked ziti, pasta, meat sauce, Italian, comfort food