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Baked Ziti

Let’s learn how to make BAKED ZITI, the perfect family dinner everyone will love! The creaminess of the ricotta, the crispy cheese layer on top, and the tangy but sweet pasta sauce turn this into the most memorable dish ever. It’s super easy to make and even prep ahead of time for those busy days
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
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Ingredients

PASTA & SAUCE

  • 1 pound ziti pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound 90 10 ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 5 cups marinara sauce add 6 cups to make it extra saucy
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

CHEESE LAYERS

  • 1 to 2 cups whole milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 2 to 3 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. To a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. As the meat browns, break it up with a wooden spoon, making sure to leave some big chunks too.
  3. Once the meat is browned, add in the marinara sauce. Cover and let it simmer on low heat.
  4. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and make sure to cook about 2 minutes shy of al dente as the pasta will continue baking in the oven. Drain the pasta.
  5. Uncover the sauce and add the heavy cream, chopped basil, and parmesan. Mix all together and combine with the cooked pasta.
  6. To a large oven-safe casserole dish, add half of the pasta. Add dollops of ricotta on top. Then sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top. Add the remaining pasta on top and add another layer of dollops of ricotta and cover with mozzarella and parmesan.
  7. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil just for a few minutes to crisp up the top. Make sure to watch it closely as it can burn very quickly! Take it out when it's golden and bubbly on top.
  8. Enjoy warm!

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!