Classic Baked Ziti

A timeless Italian-American comfort food featuring tender ziti pasta baked in a rich tomato sauce with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese filling.

By RecipeBoss

Servings

Time Required

1 hr

Ingredients

1 lb ziti pasta

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

28 oz crushed tomatoes

6 oz tomato paste

15 oz ricotta cheese

16 oz mozzarella cheese

0.5 cup parmesan cheese

1 large egg

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 tsp salt

0.5 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

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Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat.
5 min
3
Stir in minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10 min
4
In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
5
In a large bowl, combine the drained ziti pasta, meat sauce, and ricotta mixture. Stir gently to combine.
6
Spread half of the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining pasta mixture.
7
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over the top.
8
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
25 min

Perfect With

garlic breadgreen saladsteamed broccoli