Description
A comforting baked pasta dish with layers of ziti, ground beef, and rich marinara sauce, perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz ziti pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the ziti pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, then drain excess fat.
- Add marinara sauce to the beef and simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a baking dish, layer half of the beef sauce, half of the ziti, half of the ricotta mixture, and half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, garnished with basil if desired.
Notes
For variations, try adding vegetables or different cheeses.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg