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–+ servings
Delicious homemade baked ziti with melted cheese and herbs on a white plate.

Baked Ziti

This classic Italian-American dish is a crowd-pleaser, combining perfectly cooked ziti pasta, rich tomato sauce, savory ground beef, and a generous layer of melted cheese.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8
Calories 942 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 lb ziti
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 bottle marinara sauce
  • 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 10 oz fresh ricotta
  • 1 bunch fresh oregano
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 4 cups grated parmigiano reggiano shredded
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning mine has chili flakes in it
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Start by grating your cheeses and set them aside.
    Person grating cheese on a wooden board with a stainless steel grater.
  • Brown your 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of mild italian sausage.
    Two blocks of ground meat in a white pan on a wooden surface, ready for cooking.
  • In a separate pan, sauté your garlic and onions until aromatic to bring out the most flavor. I sautéed this for about five minutes.
    Chopped onions being sautéed in a pan with a wooden spatula on a stovetop for cooking.
  • Add the onion and garlic mixture to your meat. Add in 1 tsp of Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp of salt, garlic powder, onion powder.
    Ground beef and onions seasoned with herbs and salt in a white pot, perfect for a savory dish.
  • Add in your marinara, one can of crushed tomatoes and sugar.
    Pouring tomato sauce into a pot of cooked ground beef for a savory dish preparation.
  • Top with a bunch of oregano. You'll remove the oregano once your sauce is ready. Simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour.
    Hearty homemade Bolognese sauce with fresh herbs in a large pot on a wooden board.
  • Boil water in a large pot and add in your chicken bouillon. Once the water is boiling add in your ziti and cook it a few minutes short of al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven.
    Stirring a pot of clear liquid with yellow granules using a wooden spoon, cooking on a stove.
  • Once it’s done, we are going to top it with two tbsp of our mozzarella and two tbsp of our parmesan and add about a ladle of sauce.
    Pasta with meat sauce and cheese in a metal bowl on a wooden surface, ready to be mixed.
  • To build out our dish let’s start with a layer of sauce, followed by a layer of ziti, top that off with one cup of your mozzarella and one cup of your parmesan.
    Baked pasta with cheese in a white dish on a wooden board, ready to serve.
  • Top with another layer of sauce.
    Baked ziti in a white ceramic dish with savory meat sauce and cheese on a wooden table, ready to be cooked in the oven.
  • I’m adding ricotta to only half my dish bc I have some picky eaters but you can add it to the entire dish or combine it in your meat sauce before building the dish.
    Homemade baked ziti with ricotta cheese, ground meat, and tomato sauce in a white casserole dish on a wooden board.
  • Top with Ziti, one cup of parmesan and the remainder of your mozzarella.
    Baked ziti with cheese topping in a white dish on a wooden board, ready for serving.
  • Top with our final round of sauce and make sure it’s fully covered.
    Hand sprinkling cheese on oven-baked pasta dish in a white casserole dish on a wooden board.
  • Finish off with the remaining one cup of your parmesan.
    Baked cheesy casserole in a white dish on a wooden cutting board, topped with shredded cheese.
  • Bake it uncovered in a preheated oven at 375F for 30 minutes and then broil it for 4-5 minutes or until top is golden.
    Cheesy casserole baking in the oven in a white dish for a delicious homemade dinner.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 942kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 55gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 1828mgPotassium: 717mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 854IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 873mgIron: 4mg
Keyword baked ziti, casserole
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