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Easy Baked Ziti

A delicious slice of Easy Baked Ziti, layered with pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese.
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A simple and delicious baked ziti recipe perfect for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ziti pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Cook ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, brown ground beef or sausage with chopped onion over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
  7. In a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, spread half of the cooked ziti.
  8. Top with half of the ricotta mixture, then half of the meat sauce.
  9. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
  10. Repeat the layers: remaining ziti, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella cheese.
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  12. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • For a spicier version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce.
  • You can substitute Italian sausage for ground beef for added flavor.
  • If you don’t have ricotta cheese, you can use cottage cheese.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked ziti, easy pasta, Italian dinner, casserole, comfort food, weeknight meal

Find it online: https://www.meltitclean.com/easy-baked-ziti-recipe/