Baked Ziti with Ground Beef (Printer-friendly)
Layers of ziti, seasoned beef, and three cheeses baked until golden and bubbly.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb ziti pasta
→ Meat
02 - 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 preferred
→ Sauce
03 - 24 oz marinara sauce, homemade or high-quality store-bought
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Cheese
07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp dried basil
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until fully browned. Drain excess fat and return to heat.
05 - Stir in marinara sauce, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors.
06 - In a large bowl, combine cooked ziti, meat sauce, half the mozzarella, and all ricotta. Mix gently until pasta is evenly coated.
07 - Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared dish. Top with half the remaining mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Add remaining pasta, then finish with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
08 - Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 20 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
09 - Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The ricotta creates these creamy pockets throughout the dish that people will think you slaved over all day
- Everything gets layered and baked together so all those Italian flavors meld into something bigger than the sum of its parts
02 -
- Do not overcook the pasta during boiling because it will continue cooking in the oven and nobody wants mushy ziti
- Draining the beef fat after browning prevents your final dish from being overly greasy while still keeping all that beefy flavor
03 -
- Shred your own cheese from blocks instead of buying pre shredded, the anti caking agents in bagged cheese prevent that perfect melty texture
- If you have time, let the assembled dish sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking, this helps the flavors develop even more