Description
Make your dinner feel like a million bucks with this creamy, cheesy, and hearty Million Dollar Baked Ziti. It’s layered with ziti pasta, seasoned meat sauce, and an irresistible combo of ricotta, sour cream, and mozzarella. This comfort classic is the perfect easy recipe for family dinners, casual get-togethers, or make-ahead meals. Whether you’re searching for a quick dinner, baked pasta ideas, or a casserole that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort, this one’s a guaranteed winner.
Ingredients
454g ziti pasta
450g ground beef or Italian sausage
700g marinara sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (first layer)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (top layer)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Boil ziti pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a skillet, cook ground beef or sausage over medium heat until browned. Drain fat, add marinara sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. In a bowl, mix ricotta, sour cream, egg, parmesan, and seasonings until smooth.
5. In the baking dish, spread a layer of meat sauce. Add half of the pasta, followed by all of the ricotta mixture, then half of the mozzarella.
6. Add the remaining pasta and meat sauce. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and more parmesan.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
8. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Don’t overcook the pasta—it will continue cooking in the oven.
For added flavor, use half Italian sausage and half ground beef.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 940mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: baked ziti, cheesy casserole, pasta bake, million dollar casserole