Baked Ziti

A comforting casserole featuring ziti pasta, rich tomato meat sauce, and a creamy blend of cheeses, baked until golden and bubbly.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 55 min
• Total: 1 hr 20 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.71/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounce)
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pound ziti pasta (uncooked)
• 15 ounce ricotta cheese
• 1 egg (large)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 package baby spinach (5 ounce)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned. Drain excess fat.
3. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in dried oregano, dried basil, and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it cook gently while you prepare the pasta.
5. Cook the ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and fresh parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the baby spinach until just combined.
7. In a large baking dish (9x13 inch), spread about 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom. Layer with half of the cooked ziti, then half of the ricotta-spinach mixture, and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layers, ending with cheese on top.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best results, allow the Baked Ziti to rest for a few minutes after baking; it helps the layers set. Reheats beautifully for delicious leftovers.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 720
• Protein: 54.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 28.2 g
• Fiber: 7.8 g
• Sodium: 1250 mg
• Saturated Fat: 14.5 g
• Sugar: 10.3 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg