The Best Meaty Baked Ziti Recipe
This easy meaty baked ziti is loaded with tender pasta, rich homemade meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and layers of gooey melted cheese for the ultimate comforting family dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 MINS
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 SERVINGS 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: BAKED
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
- Water for boiling
- 1 tablespoon salt
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cheese Mixture
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups Italian blend cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage with the diced onion over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in marinara sauce, whole tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and half of the mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Add half the cooked pasta, followed by half the ricotta mixture and more sauce.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, and sauce.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and Italian blend cheese.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Slightly undercook the pasta so it doesn’t become mushy while baking.
- Penne pasta works great if you can’t find ziti.
- This recipe freezes beautifully before or after baking.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy version.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/meaty-baked-ziti/