Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti Recipe
A saucy, cheesy baked ziti with a creamy cream cheese layer, browned beef and Italian sausage, mozzarella, and Parmesan, all baked in one 9x13 pan until golden and bubbly. No ricotta needed. Made with homemade or jarred spaghetti sauce, so it comes together fast and freezes beautifully.
Servings 8
Calories 733kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 oz) ziti pasta (penne or rigatoni work too)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I usually use 1 lb of 85/15 ground beef and 1/2 pound of Italian sausage)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 batch (about 4 to 5 cups) homemade spaghetti sauce OR two 24-oz jars marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz fresh cheese (softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, and/or ricotta cheese)
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella divided
- 1/2 cup (about 1.5 oz) grated Parmesan
- 8 to 12 fresh basil leaves torn (optional)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, if you want some heat)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti about 2 minutes shy of al dente, so it is still firm in the center. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain (do not rinse).
- Meanwhile, brown the ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if using. Drain off most of the fat.
- Stir the spaghetti sauce into the meat and warm it through for 3 to 5 minutes. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if it looks thick; you want it a little loose. Taste and adjust the salt.
- In a bowl, stir a ladle of the warm sauce (or a splash of pasta water) into the cheese until smooth and spreadable.
- Toss the drained pasta with about three-quarters of the meat sauce until well coated.
- Spread half the pasta in the prepared pan. Dot and spread the cheese mixture over it, then scatter with 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Add the remaining pasta, spoon the rest of the sauce evenly over the top, and finish with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and all the Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and steamy through the center.
- Uncover and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden in spots.
- Let it rest 10 minutes so the layers set, then tear fresh basil over the top and serve.
Notes
- Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente. It keeps cooking in the oven, and this is the single best way to prevent mushy baked ziti.
- Keep the sauce a touch looser than you think, and spoon a little extra over the top layer so it does not dry out.
- Make ahead: assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 48 hours; add about 10 minutes to the covered bake time from cold.
- Freeze unbaked: wrap well and freeze up to 3 months; bake from frozen, covered, at 350°F for 60 to 75 minutes, then uncover 15 to 20 minutes.
- Reheat: add a splash of water or sauce first so leftovers stay saucy.
Nutrition
Calories: 733kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 779mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 486mg | Iron: 3mg
