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Baked Ziti

A comforting dish of layered pasta, meat sauce, and melted cheese that's perfect for family gatherings and feeds a crowd.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meat sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • to taste Kosher salt
  • to taste Ground black pepper
For the pasta and cheese layer
  • 16 ounces ziti or mostaccioli pasta, cooked slightly under al dente
  • 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • for garnish Fresh parsley, chopped

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add Italian sausage and ground beef to the pot. Cook until browned, breaking apart with a spatula. Drain excess fat but leave some for flavor.
  3. Pour in whole tomatoes with juice and tomato sauce/marinara. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove about 3 to 4 cups of sauce and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  5. In a bowl, combine ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix lightly until blended.
  6. Drain pasta and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Cool slightly before combining.
  7. Fold pasta into ricotta mixture, coating evenly without crushing the pasta.
  8. Add cooled meat sauce to pasta and cheese mixture, folding gently.
Assembly
  1. Spread half of the pasta mixture in a large baking dish. Top with reserved sauce and a layer of mozzarella.
  2. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, and mozzarella.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is golden and edges are bubbly.
  4. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Cook pasta slightly under al dente; don't skip resting time before slicing. Use whole milk ricotta for a creamier filling. Reserve extra sauce for layering instead of mixing everything.