Description
A comforting baked ziti recipe with layers of savory meat, cheese, and pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 28 ounces Crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 15 ounces Ricotta cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Ziti: Begin by boiling the ziti pasta in salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the package recommends. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for about 2 minutes until translucent.
- Brown the Meat: Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up, and cook until just browned.
- Simmer the Sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Toss drained ziti with about 2 cups of the meat sauce.
- Layer the Dish: In a greased baking dish, spread half of the ziti, dollop ricotta evenly, then add remaining meat sauce.
- Top with Cheese: Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan over the top.
- Cover and Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Rest Before Serving: Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use a high-quality ground beef.
- Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms to the meat sauce for added nutrition.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg