Baked Ziti with Meat and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

Pasta and Sauce

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 5 cups marinara sauce

Cheese and Herbs

• 15 oz fresh ricotta cheese
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti pasta according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside. Be careful not to overcook as the pasta will continue cooking in the oven.
2. In a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add ground beef and chopped onion. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked and onions are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic, salt, and black pepper and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in marinara sauce, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
3. Add chopped basil leaves and ricotta cheese to the meat sauce and stir gently until combined.
4. Add cooked pasta to the sauce mixture and stir just until noodles are coated, preserving some texture from the ricotta.
5. Spread a ladle of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Add half of the pasta mixture on top, then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheese. Add the remaining pasta mixture and top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Clear the edges of the dish to prevent cheese burning.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the assembled casserole for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
7. Turn the oven to broil and broil the casserole for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped basil if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

• Use penne or gluten-free pasta as alternatives to ziti if preferred.
• Make sure not to overcook the pasta during boiling to avoid mushy baked pasta.
• For extra creaminess, stir some shredded mozzarella into the ricotta mixture before layering.
• You can prepare this casserole a day ahead and refrigerate before baking; just add extra baking time if cold from fridge.
• Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven.