Baked Ziti with Saucy Beef, Ricotta, and Golden Cheese
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
60 min
Servings
10
Level
Easy
For family dinners or potlucks, this baked ziti recipe uses tube-shaped pasta, ground beef and marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, and a baked topping of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. The flavors are comparable to lasagna, but baked ziti is similar to lasagna without layers and can be easier to serve after it has cooled.
Start by cooking the ziti in salted water until al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Cook a meat sauce with ground beef and diced onion. Season with garlic, salt, pepper, and marinara sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in ricotta and fresh basil. Add low-moisture mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to the dish and to the noodles layer by layer and on top. Spoon meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking.
Purchase prechopped onions and precooked drained hamburger meat to add before the garlic. Serve a pasta casserole with simmered tomato sauce. Broil the casserole briefly to brown the cheese topping. The biggest mistake cooks make preparing pasta casseroles is overcooking the pasta, which makes it mushy when baked. Be careful not to overbeat ricotta cheese. Trim excess cheese from the sides of the casserole to keep it from burning. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Why we keep this one around
- Serves a family or other group at a potluck meal in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Other solid foods, such as pasta and meat sauce, can be served in bite-size or spoon-size pieces.
- Picky kids can make the same basic pasta and cheese dish. Other ingredients, including meat and vegetables, and different pasta shapes and cheese toppings, can be used in this dish.
- Prepping this casserole saves time for those who can make it in advance and refrigerate it, covered, for up to two days before baking.
- Leftover portions can be reheated with a little water and foil to preserve the sauce and eaten beyond the original meal. The full recipe can be repeated multiple times.
- Tube-shaped ziti holds the marinara and ricotta mixture and helps prevent liquid from collecting in the dish.
- The layers of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese broil well and make a golden cheese topping that offers both an attractive appearance and a creamy interior with distinct ricotta texture.
Ingredients
- •1 lb ziti pasta (or penne pasta or gluten-free pasta)
- •1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
- •1 onion (chopped)
- •2 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 tsp salt
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •5 cups marinara sauce
- •15 oz fresh ricotta
- •10 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
- •12 oz mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
- •1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, divided)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just al dente, then drain.
- 2
In a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until the beef is fully cooked and the onion is softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- 3
Add the minced garlic, salt, and black pepper, then sauté for 1 minute.
- 4
Add the marinara sauce, bring it to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes; then turn off the heat.
- 5
Spread a ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
- 6
Add the chopped basil and ricotta to the remaining sauce.
- 7
Add the cooked pasta and stir just until the noodles are coated, keeping the ricotta texture.
- 8
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the casserole dish and top with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan.
- 9
Add the remaining pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- 10
Clear the edges of the dish so the cheese does not burn onto the pan.
- 11
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- 12
Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the cheese.
- 13
Let cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with basil if desired and serve.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
469
Calories
34g
Protein
17g
Fat
44g
Carbs
Reviews
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