Description
Craving comfort in a dish? This Cheesy Baked Ziti brings all the warmth and bold flavor of a traditional Italian-American favorite right to your table. Loaded with melty mozzarella, creamy ricotta, and rich marinara layered between tender pasta and savory ground meat, this is your go-to for an easy dinner, quick weeknight comfort meal, or cozy crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re looking for family dinner ideas, a baked pasta casserole, or just easy food ideas with big flavor—this recipe delivers. Perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or just satisfying your cheese-loving soul.
Ingredients
1 pound ziti pasta
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
3 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the ziti pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a skillet, brown the ground beef or sausage over medium heat. Drain excess fat and stir in the marinara sauce. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup parmesan, salt, and pepper until smooth.
5. Spread a layer of meat sauce in the baking dish. Add half of the pasta, then spoon dollops of ricotta mixture, more sauce, and a layer of mozzarella.
6. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
8. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
This dish freezes beautifully—assemble ahead and bake straight from frozen, adding 10 minutes to the bake time.
Use spicy Italian sausage for extra flavor depth, or go meatless with sautéed mushrooms and zucchini.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 940mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: baked ziti, cheesy pasta, comfort food, pasta bake, easy dinner