Description
Enjoy a comforting and cheesy classic baked ziti with ricotta, a perfect family dinner dish that’s easy to make and tastes like home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook ziti pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef or sausage over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and the egg. Mix well.
- Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Layer half of the cooked ziti over the sauce.
- Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the ziti.
- Top with the remaining ziti.
- Pour the rest of the meat sauce over the pasta.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and use an extra jar of marinara sauce.
- You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little heat.
- Fresh basil can be added to the ricotta mixture for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg