Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, from a tube
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes, crushed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
For the Ricotta Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg, large
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
- 12 ounces ziti pasta, cooked al dente
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
- as needed cooking spray
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and bell peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the Dutch oven with the sautéed vegetables. Brown the meats, breaking them up with a spoon as they cook, for about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, toasting it slightly. Season the mixture with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Mix well.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the petite diced tomatoes, crushed canned peeled tomatoes, and fresh basil.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently cook while you prepare the ricotta mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning if desired.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a separate large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and the egg. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add the cooked ziti pasta to the bowl with the ricotta mixture. Add about 1 cup of the prepared meat sauce to the pasta and ricotta. Mix everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread a thin layer (about 1 cup) of the remaining meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
⏱️ 2 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Add half of the pasta mixture over the sauce layer. Top this pasta layer with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of about 1 cup of meat sauce.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Spread the remaining pasta mixture over this sauce layer. Finish with the remaining meat sauce on top. Sprinkle generously with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Bake the assembled Baked Ziti in the preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the dish is heated through.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350
- 12
Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Baked Ziti
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, from a tube
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes, crushed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
For the Ricotta Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg, large
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
- 12 ounces ziti pasta, cooked al dente
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
- as needed cooking spray
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and bell peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the Dutch oven with the sautéed vegetables. Brown the meats, breaking them up with a spoon as they cook, for about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, toasting it slightly. Season the mixture with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Mix well.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the petite diced tomatoes, crushed canned peeled tomatoes, and fresh basil.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently cook while you prepare the ricotta mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning if desired.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a separate large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and the egg. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add the cooked ziti pasta to the bowl with the ricotta mixture. Add about 1 cup of the prepared meat sauce to the pasta and ricotta. Mix everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread a thin layer (about 1 cup) of the remaining meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
⏱️ 2 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Add half of the pasta mixture over the sauce layer. Top this pasta layer with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of about 1 cup of meat sauce.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Spread the remaining pasta mixture over this sauce layer. Finish with the remaining meat sauce on top. Sprinkle generously with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Bake the assembled Baked Ziti in the preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the dish is heated through.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350 - 12
Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.
⏱️ 5 min