Description
A delicious baked ziti recipe that combines pasta, cheese, and ground beef for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ounces dried ziti (or penne pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 4 ounces ground beef
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup marinara sauce (or tomato sauce, plus 2 tablespoons for the bottom of the dish)
- ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
- 6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the oil, onions, garlic, ground beef, ¼ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 8 minutes, breaking up the meat, until browned.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and let it simmer for a minute. Remove from heat and fold in the cooked pasta.
- In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, 2 tablespoons mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Gently fold into the beef and pasta mixture.
- Grease a 5×5-inch baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom. Add half of the pasta mixture and top with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta, then top with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with mushrooms or lentils.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg