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Overhead view of cheesy baked ziti in a white ceramic baking dish with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, layers of pasta, rich meat sauce, and creamy ricotta visible in a scooped corner, served with garlic bread and grated Parmesan on a rustic wooden table.
Jana Rae

Baked Ziti

This easy baked ziti recipe is layered with zesty meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and plenty of melted mozzarella. Ready in 45 minutes. A crowd-pleaser!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meat sauce:
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 jar 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 1 can 15 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
For the cheese layer:
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
  • ½ tsp black pepper
For the pasta and topping:
  • 1 lb dry ziti pasta
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • Fresh basil for garnish optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef (5–7 minutes). Drain excess fat.
  3. Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  4. Stir in marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes. Simmer on low while preparing other ingredients.
  5. In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, ½ cup Parmesan, parsley, and black pepper until smooth.
  6. For one-pot method: Add dry ziti and 1 cup water to the sauce. Cover and cook 8–10 minutes until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.
  7. Assembly: Spread half the pasta mixture into baking dish. Top with ricotta mixture, then 1 cup mozzarella. Add remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan.
  8. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes more until golden and bubbly.
  9. Rest 10–15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve warm.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add 8 oz of sliced mushrooms or 1 cup of chopped zucchini. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free ziti pasta. For a spicy version, use hot Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes.