Description
A classic comfort food, Baked Ziti is a deliciously cheesy pasta casserole layered with a savory meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. This easy-to-make oven-baked Italian-American favorite combines perfectly cooked pasta with a rich blend of tomato sauces and browned ground beef, baked to golden bubbly perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 ounces ziti
Meat and Sauce
- ½ pound ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 24 ounces spaghetti sauce
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Cheeses
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, divided (1 cup and ½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the assembled ziti casserole.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the ziti pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside for layering.
- Brown Meat Mixture: In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with chopped onion and minced garlic until the beef is browned and the onion is softened.
- Add Sauces and Seasoning: Stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and oregano into the browned beef mixture. Keep the skillet on heat and bring it to a gentle boil to blend flavors.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Mix 1 cup of the beef and sauce mixture with the cooked ziti to coat the pasta evenly.
- Layer Casserole – First Layer: Spoon half of the ziti and beef mixture into a large baking dish, making an even layer.
- Add Cheese and Sauce Layer: Dollop the ricotta cheese evenly over the ziti, then sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Pour 1 cup of the remaining beef sauce evenly across the cheese layer.
- Layer Casserole – Second Layer: Spoon the remaining ziti and beef mixture evenly over the cheese layer, then top with the remaining beef sauce.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. This step helps keep the casserole creamy and moist.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the foil, sprinkle parmesan cheese and the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Notes
- Adding a pinch of salt to the pasta water enhances the flavor of the pasta before cooking.
- Covering the casserole with foil during the first 20 minutes of baking ensures a luscious creaminess and easier cleanup.
- Removing the foil for the final 10 minutes allows the top to brown slightly to achieve a lovely crust. For an even crustier top, bake uncovered or broil for the last minute, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Turning on the broiler for the last minute of cheese melting will brown the cheese nicely but requires close supervision.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
