Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Three Cheese Baked Ziti recipe. Layers of pasta, savory meat sauce, and a trio of cheeses baked to perfection, creating a rich and satisfying dish that’s perfect for a cozy family dinner or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 pound ziti pasta
Meat Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Cheese Mixture:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: In a skillet, cook sausage (or beef) with onion until browned. Add garlic, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Make the Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Assemble: Mix half of the meat sauce with pasta. Layer pasta, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella in the baking dish. Repeat layers, finishing with sauce and mozzarella on top.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- This ziti can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight before baking.
- For extra creaminess, stir a little heavy cream into the ricotta mixture.
- It freezes well—assemble, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
