Classic Baked Ziti Recipe
Baked ziti recipe – a cheesy, comforting Italian-American classic. This easy pasta bake is perfect for family dinners!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cook ziti pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent.
- Add ground beef or sausage and cook until browned; drain excess fat.
- Stir in minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, and fresh parsley.
- Mix cooked ziti with half of the sauce.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture in the baking dish, top with half of the ricotta mixture and half of the shredded mozzarella.
- Repeat layers and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!