Description
Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is a cozy, flavorful pasta dish layered with tender ziti, rich meat marinara, creamy ricotta, and melty mozzarella. Perfect for feeding a family or serving a crowd, it’s hearty, cheesy, and baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the ziti in salted water until al dente, drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté chopped onion until soft, add garlic, and cook briefly.
- Add ground beef, cook until browned, and season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
- Stir in marinara sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta with ricotta, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan.
- In a greased baking dish, layer half of the pasta mixture, then half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes