Description
Baked ziti with ricotta and meat sauce is classic comfort food, and it will become one of your family’s favorite meals! Easy and tasty.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey or beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Step: Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Step: Boil a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente, drain, and toss with a little olive oil.
- Step: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the meat until browned, add garlic for the last minute, and drain excess fat.
- Step: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 3/4 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Step: Reserve 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, then toss the remaining sauce, cooked meat, and ricotta mixture with the pasta.
- Step: Spread the reserved 1/2 cup sauce in the baking dish, layer half the pasta mixture, half the remaining cheese, and repeat.
- Step: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Step: Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
Notes
Using high-quality ingredients ensures the best flavor. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can prepare the dish in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 569 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1495 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
Keywords: baked ziti, pasta bake, italian dinner, comfort food