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Best-Ever Baked Ziti
5 from 39 votes

Best-Ever Baked Ziti

Best-Ever Baked Ziti combines hearty Italian sausage, ground beef, and a rich mixture of marinara and tomato paste, layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. The result is a warmly baked pasta casserole with a tender interior and a bubbly, golden cheese crust. This dish offers a comforting, filling meal ideal for family dinners or feeding a crowd, with flexibility to prepare components ahead of time for convenience.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
35 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 624 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American Fussion

Ingredients

Make Ahead
  • marinara sauce or quality store-bought, fresh
For the Meat Sauce
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 2 talks celery chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and chopped (about ½ cup)
  • ½ lb Italian sausage casings removed, if links, sweet
  • ½ lb Italian sausage casings removed, if links, hot
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • black pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • salt Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 5 cups marinara sauce click for recipe, fresh
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
For the Baked Ziti
  • 16 oz ziti pasta dried, or rigatoni
  • 16 oz ricotta cheese whole milk
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Do Ahead
    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare the marinara sauce (see link to recipe in Ingredients List)
Make the Meat Sauce
  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until soft, about 7 - 10 minutes.
  2. Crumble the sausage with your hands into the pot and then add the beef. Cook until almost no longer pink.
  3. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
  4. At this point, if too much grease has been rendered, tilt the skillet and use a spoon to remove excess fat. Discard safely. Leave a little in the pan for added flavor.
  5. Add the wine and cook until the liquid is almost all gone, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Add the prepared marinara and tomato paste and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
Assemble and Bake the Dish
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a lasagna pan (or a deep casserole dish), ladle a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish, about 2 cups.
  4. Add a layer of cooked ziti, a little more than a third of the pasta.
  5. Top with dollops of half of the ricotta and then 1 cup of the mozzarella.
  6. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of Parmesan on top of that.
  7. Repeat this process again. (You'll want to leave a handful of the cooked pasta and then several cups of the sauce for the topping of the dish).
  8. Top with a handful of pasta, then another layer of the sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella, and another ¼ cup of Parmesan on top.
  9. Baked, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned on top and bubbly.
  10. Garnish with chopped parsley. Let rest for about 5 minutes, and then serve with additional grated Parmesan on the side.

Notes

  • Prepare marinara and meat sauce ahead to speed up assembly on cooking day.
  • Refrigerate assembled ziti before baking, adding 15-20 minutes to bake time if chilled.
  • Cover with foil during baking if the top browns too quickly.
  • Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to five days; freezing post-baking may alter cheese texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 624kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 49g (16%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g (18%) Monounsaturated Fat 8g (40%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 132mg (44%) Sodium 822mg (34%) Potassium 610mg (13%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 2129IU (43%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 519mg (52%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 624

% Daily Value*

Calories 624kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 49g 16%
Protein 42g 84%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 822mg 34%
Potassium 610mg 13%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 2129IU 43%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 519mg 52%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.