Description
This Classic Baked Ziti is the ultimate Italian-American comfort food, featuring tender ziti pasta, rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, holidays, and meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce:
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 28 oz marinara sauce
- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Ricotta Mixture:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp fresh basil, minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Topping:
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brown the ground beef or sausage in a large pot. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in marinara sauce and diced tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of sauce.
- Cook the ziti in salted boiling water until slightly under al dente. Drain.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the meat sauce.
- Spread half the pasta mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add dollops of the ricotta mixture and pieces of fresh mozzarella.
- Pour reserved sauce over the top.
- Add remaining pasta mixture and remaining ricotta mixture.
- Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Broil for 1–2 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
Slightly undercook the pasta to prevent it from becoming too soft while baking.
The meat sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.
Assemble the casserole several hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Add chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture for extra vegetables.
Mushrooms, onions, or carrots can be added to the meat sauce.
For a saucier baked ziti, add an extra cup of marinara sauce.
Spray the underside of the foil with nonstick spray to prevent cheese from sticking.
Fresh mozzarella adds extra creaminess but can be omitted if needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 693
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1000mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 139mg