Description
A comforting Italian-American classic combining tender pasta, savory meat, rich tomato sauce, and melty cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (ziti or penne), cooked al dente
- 1 pound ground beef or sausage, browned (optional)
- 2 cups tomato sauce (marinara or your favorite)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking meat and drizzling)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup breadcrumb topping (optional, toasted with garlic and butter)
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente—this should be about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. If you’re using ground beef or sausage, add it to the skillet and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. If there is excess fat, drain it off.
- Stir in the tomato sauce with the browned meat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, half of the shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- In a baking dish, layer half of the cooked pasta, followed by half of the meat sauce, and then half of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with half of the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Add the remaining pasta on top, followed by the rest of the meat sauce, cheese mixture, and finish with the mozzarella cheese on top. If using breadcrumb topping, sprinkle it evenly over the last layer.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cover the dish tightly and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Once done, remove the baked ziti from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Baked ziti can be served with garlic bread and a fresh green salad. Consider adding more vegetables or using a different type of cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg