Description
Classic Baked Ziti is a comforting Italian-American casserole featuring tender ziti pasta baked with a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta cheese mixture, and layers of melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. This hearty dish is perfect for family dinners or meal prep, combining robust flavors and satisfying textures in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef or ground sausage
- 28 ounces marinara sauce or store-bought
- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 1 lb ziti pasta
Ricotta Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh basil, finely minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F to ensure it is ready for baking the ziti later.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a large pot, brown the ground beef or sausage completely over medium heat. Season the meat with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in marinara sauce and canned diced tomatoes (undrained). Cover and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Reserve 2 cups of sauce separately for layering.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti pasta until just under al dente (about 8-9 minutes if package suggests 10 minutes) to prevent overcooking during baking. Drain well.
- Make Ricotta Mixture: In a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, egg, minced parsley, minced basil, grated garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked ziti pasta to the reserved meat sauce and stir well to coat all the pasta evenly.
- Assemble the Casserole: Spread half of the pasta and meat sauce mixture evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Dollop half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the pasta, distributing it evenly. Scatter fresh mozzarella cheese pieces on top. Pour the reserved 2 cups of meat sauce over the layer. Add the remaining pasta mixture on top followed by the remainder of the ricotta cheese mixture. Finally, sprinkle shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses evenly over the entire dish.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (sprayed with nonstick spray to prevent sticking) and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Finish Baking and Broil: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered to allow the cheese to brown. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes to get a golden bubbly top. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and optionally garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving. Enjoy your classic baked ziti!
Notes
- The meat sauce can be prepared ahead of time to develop more flavor, and the assembled baked ziti can be refrigerated before baking.
- Adding 1/2 cup of red wine to the meat sauce while cooking will add depth of flavor, although it is optional.
- For more vegetables, finely chopped spinach can be mixed into the ricotta mixture, and diced carrots or mushrooms can be added to the meat sauce.
- Spray the aluminum foil with nonstick spray to prevent cheese from sticking during baking.
- Undercook the pasta slightly during boiling to prevent it from becoming too soft after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
