Baked Ziti Recipe – Pasta Casserole With Meat Sauce
Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti Pasta with Ground Beef, Onion, Garlic, Herbs Tomato Sauce, Ricotta, Mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses. Simply Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ziti pasta
- 1 lb lean ground beef - 85% lean
- 1 onion - chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic - minced
- 5 cups tomato or marinara sauce
- 4 tbsp ricotta cheese
- 12 oz Mozzarella cheese - shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt & crushed black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste - optional
- 10 fresh basil leaves - cut into ribbons/chiffonade
- Ample water to boil/cook Ziti pasta
Instructions
Boiling Pasta
- 1. Boil ample water in large pot/pan
- Add 1 tbsp salt & Ziti pasta
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente
- Drain water from pasta, once done
Preparing Meat Sauce
- 2. Add olive oil in large preheated Dutch oven or saucepan
- Once oil is hot add ground beef & onion
- Saute until ground beef is cooked then add garlic
- Mix well then add 4 cups tomato/marinara sauce
- Add salt & crushed black pepper to taste. Mix well
- Now add ricotta cheese, stirring until it blends in
- Toss in fresh basil leaves then add cooked ziti pasta
- Mix well, simmer for a minute
Pasta Prep For Baking
- In a baking dish/tray spoon in remaining tomato sauce
- Layer with half the ziti pasta- meat sauce mixture
- Spread half the mozzarella cheese on the pasta mixture
- Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese as well
- Repeat layering process for remaining ziti pasta mixture & cheese
Baking Ziti Pasta
- Place Ziti pasta tray in a 350* F preheated oven for 25 minutes
- Now broil for 2 minutes then remove from oven
- Let Baked Ziti Pasta rest for 10 minutes then serve a portion on a plate
- Wallah! You delicious Baked Ziti Pasta is ready! Bon Appetit!
Video
Notes
More Italian Recipes: https://gastrogurukitchen.com/category/cusine/italian/