Baked Ziti Ground Beef (Printable Version)
Comforting Italian-American dish with pasta, ground beef, marinara sauce, and melted cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 pound ziti pasta
→ Meat
02 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
→ Sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 cups marinara sauce
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
08 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Cheese
10 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
13 - 1 large egg
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes off heat to blend flavors.
06 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, and egg until evenly mixed.
07 - In the prepared baking dish, layer half of the cooked ziti, followed by half the meat sauce, then half the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers with remaining pasta, sauce, and cheese mixture.
08 - Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan evenly over the top.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
11 - Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It feeds a crowd without much effort, and everyone always comes back for seconds.
- The layers of cheese get so gooey and golden that even picky eaters clean their plates.
- You can prep it in the morning and bake it right before dinner.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the pasta well, or the dish will be watery and the flavors will dilute.
- Letting it rest after baking is crucial, otherwise the cheese and sauce will run everywhere when you scoop it out.
03 -
- Taste your marinara before layering, and adjust the salt and seasoning so the final dish isn't bland.
- Use a spatula to press down gently on each layer as you build it, so there are no air pockets and everything bakes evenly.