Description
This cheesy, saucy goodness is what dinner dreams are made of – one bite of this Creamy Baked Ziti and weeknight meals will never be boring again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454g) ziti pasta
- 1 lb (454g) ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 24 oz (680g) marinara sauce
- 15 oz (425g) ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 2 cups (8 oz/226g) mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded and divided
- ½ cup (2 oz/56g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook ziti in salted water until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and brown for 5-6 minutes, breaking into chunks.
- Add diced onion to the beef and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in marinara sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1½ cups mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, eggs, basil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add half the ziti, then half the remaining meat sauce, then dollop half the cheese mixture on top.
- Repeat layers with remaining pasta, sauce, and cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved ½ cup mozzarella and remaining Parmesan on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.