Baked Ziti with Ground Beef
Baked ziti should be saucy after baking, not dry around the edges. The pasta is drained while still firm and the meat sauce stays a little loose so both finish together in the oven.
Mixing part of the mozzarella into the ricotta gives every scoop creamy pockets. The rest stays on top for the browned, stretchy finish people expect from a pasta bake.
The method behind the meal
Why this recipe works
- •Boil pasta two minutes less than the package directs.
- •Keep the tomato sauce slightly loose before assembling.
- •Rest the casserole before cutting so the layers hold together.
Recipe
Baked Ziti with Ground Beef
Saucy baked ziti layered with seasoned ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and a crisp golden top.
Prep20m
Cook40m
Total60m
Serves8
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat oven to 375°F. Boil ziti in salted water until two minutes shy of al dente; drain.
- 2Brown beef and onion for 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, add garlic and seasoning, then stir in marinara and tomato sauce.
- 3Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and parmesan in a bowl.
- 4Toss pasta with two-thirds of the meat sauce. Layer half the pasta, spoonfuls of ricotta mixture, remaining pasta, and remaining sauce in a 9-by-13-inch dish.
- 5Top with remaining mozzarella. Cover and bake 20 minutes, uncover for 15 minutes, then rest 10 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
612 kcal calories36 g protein65 g carbs23 g fat
