Baked Ziti Ground Beef (Printer-Friendly)

Tender ziti pasta layered with seasoned ground beef, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti pasta

→ Meat

02 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Sauce

03 - 3 cups marinara sauce
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 cup ricotta cheese

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
14 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until softened, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
06 - Stir in marinara sauce, dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
07 - In a large bowl, mix cooked ziti, meat sauce, ricotta, and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan until evenly combined.
08 - Spread half the pasta mixture into the baking dish. Top with half the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
09 - Layer the remaining pasta mixture on top, then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
10 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
12 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in an hour with almost no stress, which means you can actually enjoy cooking it instead of watching the clock.
  • The layers of meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted cheese create something that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen when really you didn't.
  • It's naturally freezer-friendly, so you can make two and forget about dinner planning next week.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the meat—that extra fat makes the final dish greasy and pulls the focus away from everything else you worked for.
  • The resting period at the end is not optional, no matter how hungry everyone is; it keeps the layers from sliding all over the plate like a landslide.
03 -
  • Use the best marinara sauce you can find or make, because it's the backbone—cheap sauce with off flavors won't hide in a dish this straightforward.
  • Mix the ricotta with the hot pasta mixture while the pasta still has warmth; it helps everything emulsify together instead of staying in separate pockets.

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