Baked Ziti Recipe 

By HAYLEE SAESEE

Staff Writer

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 27 minutes

Total Time: 57 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ziti pasta, or penne pasta
  • 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 5 cups marinara sauce
  • 15 oz fresh ricotta
  • 10 fresh basil leaves (optional)
  • 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions:

  1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just al-dente then drain. 
  2. In a deep pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are softened (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and saute for another minute. Add 5 cups marinara sauce, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
  3. Spread a Ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9×3 casserole dish.
  4. Into the remaining sauce, add chopped basil and spoon in ricotta. Add cooked pasta and stir just until the noodles are coated.
  5. Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish. Top with ½ of  shredded mozzarella and ½ grated parmesan. Add remaining pasta and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
  6. Clear the edges of the pan so the cheese doesn’t burn onto the dish. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Broil 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes then garnish with basil if desired and serve.

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