Description
This baked ziti with ricotta dish makes the perfect meal when you’re looking for something filling, tasty, and accessible. Tender pasta in a rich marinara with cheese baked until bubbly. This is the best make-ahead casserole.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes
- 16 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Step: Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions.
- Step: Add ground beef and onion into a large skillet. Over medium-high heat, brown meat, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Step: Once the meat is mostly cooked, add garlic, italian seasoning, salt and pepper; mix.
- Step: Add the marinara sauce and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a light simmer, and then add in the pasta.
- Step: Into a 9×13 casserole dish, pour a layer of the pasta mixture. Add half the ricotta in an even layer. Then sprinkle half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Step: Add the remaining pasta and finish with a layer of the remaining cheese.
- Step: Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese bubbles.
- Step: Serve, and enjoy friends!
Notes
Pasta: Boil pasta to Al dente for the best texture. Refrigerate: Store leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Freeze: Assemble the pasta in a freezer-safe dish, and don’t bake. Freeze and store for up to 2 months. When you are ready to cook, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 695 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1448 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 118 mg
Keywords: baked ziti, ricotta pasta, beef pasta casserole, Italian-American dinner