Baked Ziti with Ground Beef and Mozzarella (Print version)

Tender ziti, ground beef, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella combine in this classic Italian-American casserole for comforting family dinners.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound ziti pasta

→ Meat

02 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
06 - 14 ounces tomato sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Cheese

12 - 9 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
14 - 9 ounces ricotta cheese

→ Other

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - Fresh basil for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook ziti pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon while cooking until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a large bowl, combine cooked ziti, half of the meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Mix gently until combined.
07 - Spread half of the remaining meat sauce in the prepared baking dish. Add the ziti mixture on top. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
08 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The way the crispy cheese edges become little treasures everyone fights over will make this your secret weapon for turning ordinary weeknights into celebrations.
  • Its nearly impossible to mess up even when youre exhausted, making it my go to for those days when cooking feels like climbing a mountain.
02 -
  • Letting the ziti rest for a full 10 minutes after baking isnt just a suggestion—I once served it immediately and watched sadly as the molten filling collapsed into a soupy mess on everyone's plates.
  • The foil removal timing is critical—too early and your cheese burns, too late and you miss that perfect golden crust I once obsessively checked with a flashlight through the oven window.
03 -
  • Reserve about a half cup of pasta cooking water before draining the ziti—if your final mixture seems dry, this starchy liquid helps bind everything together better than plain water ever could.
  • The sweet spot for ricotta integration is to leave it slightly chunky rather than fully incorporated, creating pockets of creamy goodness that surprise you throughout the dish.

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