Easy Baked Ziti
Submitted by chtaca
Ground beef in a garlicky tomato sauce layered with creamy ricotta, stretchy mozzarella, and sharp Parmesan. Classic baked ziti that feeds a crowd without breaking a sweat.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
80 minBaked ziti is the casserole that shows up to every potluck and always leaves empty.
Ground beef gets browned and simmered with tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and a packet of spaghetti sauce mix for a quick, deeply seasoned meat sauce.
Toss that with cooked ziti and a generous two cups of ricotta, then layer it into a casserole with mozzarella in the middle and on top.
A blanket of grated Parmesan goes on last before the whole thing bakes until bubbly and golden.
Pull it out, let it set for a few minutes, and watch it disappear.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Boil the ziti just to al dente. It keeps cooking in the oven and you don’t want mush.
- Layer for maximum cheese pull. Mozzarella in the middle and on top means every serving gets those stretchy, melty strings.
- Make it ahead. Assemble the whole casserole, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Add 10 to 15 extra minutes of bake time straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
Directions
Brown beef; drain.
Add tomato sauce, paste, spaghetti sauce mix, and garlic.
Simmer about 15 minutes. Pour over cooked pasta.
Add ricotta and stir to mix well.
Grease a large casserole dish.
Pour half the pasta mixture into bottom.
Top with 1 cup mozzarella. Pour in remaining pasta. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for about 40 minutes.
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