Description
A classic Italian-American comfort food, baked ziti features tender ziti pasta baked with rich tomato sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Cook ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef or sausage. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is your ziti pasta bake sauce.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- In a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, spread half of the cooked ziti.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly over the ziti.
- Top with the remaining ziti pasta.
- Pour the meat sauce over the top layer of ziti.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian baked ziti, omit the meat and add sautéed mushrooms and bell peppers to the sauce.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it. Bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
- A sprinkle of fresh parsley before serving adds a nice touch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg