Classic Baked Ziti

A delicious and cheesy baked ziti featuring pasta, a rich meat sauce, and layers of mozzarella and ricotta, served with crisp garlic bread and a simple green salad.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 15 min
• Servings: 7
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.70/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• classic

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 15 ounce ricotta cheese
• 1 egg (large)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
• 1 garlic bread
• 5 ounce mixed greens
• 2 tablespoon Italian dressing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and diced yellow onion. Cook, breaking up the beef, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried oregano, and dried basil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let it cook for at least 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and grated Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ziti with about two-thirds of the meat sauce.
6. Spread about 1 cup of the remaining meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the ziti mixture over the sauce. Dollop half of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. Repeat layers: remaining ziti mixture, remaining ricotta mixture, and remaining meat sauce. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Cook the garlic bread according to package directions during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
9. Serve the baked ziti with garlic bread and a side salad made from mixed greens tossed with Italian dressing.

Notes

This dish can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 680
• Protein: 42 g
• Carbohydrates: 75 g
• Fat: 25 g
• Fiber: 7 g
• Sodium: 1150 mg
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Sugar: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg