Baked Ziti with Ground Beef (Printer-Friendly)
Comforting Italian-American dish with tender pasta, ground beef, marinara sauce, and melted cheese layers.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 pound ziti pasta
→ Meat
02 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 fat ratio recommended)
→ Sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
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 Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. 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 directions. 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. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking meat apart, until fully browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper into the beef mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
06 - In a medium bowl, blend ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, and egg until thoroughly combined.
07 - Spread half of the cooked ziti in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the meat sauce, then dollop half the cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining pasta, sauce, and cheese mixture.
08 - Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan evenly over the final layer.
09 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like youve been cooking all day but youre done in an hour.
- Leftovers get better overnight when the flavors meld together in the fridge.
- One pan feeds a crowd without any fancy technique or hard-to-find ingredients.
02 -
- Dont skip the foil for the first part of baking or the cheese will brown before the inside gets hot.
- Letting it rest after baking is crucial, cutting into it too soon makes it soupy and hard to serve.
03 -
- Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the powdered kind for better melt and flavor.
- Taste your marinara before mixing it in, adding a pinch of sugar if its too acidic.